ISSUE: 1/2025
- Volume 29
- Number 1
- 2025
Subscribe NEWSLETTER
Studia Europejskie –
Studies in European Affairs
ISSN: 1428-149X
e-ISSN: 2719-3780
License
Articles published in the journal are under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial – No Derivatives 4.0 International License
Publication co-financed by Ministry of Science and Higher Education pursuant to the Regulation of the Minister of Education and Science of 3 August 2021 (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 1514) on the “Development of Scientific Journals” programme.
Publikacja dofinansowana przez Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego na podstawie rozporządzenia Ministra Edukacji i Nauki z 3 sierpnia 2021 r. (Dz. U. z 2021 r. poz. 1514) w sprawie programu „Rozwój czasopism naukowych”.
Publication co-financed by the University of Warsaw within the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” programme.
Czasopismo otrzymało dofinasowanie w ramach Programu „Inicjatywa Doskonałości – Uczelnia Badawcza”.
Can a Civilian Power Survive in an Uncivilised World?
Abstract
It is often asserted that European integration is a peace project because it made war between former enemies on the old continent unthinkable. However, when faced with outbreaks of violence just outside its borders, the EU has proven to be paralysed, if not powerless. This is because of its cumbersome decision-making process and the lack of military capabilities at the disposal of the EU’s centre. Can a civilian power such as the EU assert its influence in an increasingly volatile, if not uncivil, international environment? This article will argue that the process of creating a European army, if undertaken, will be costly and time consuming. In the meantime, the EU would need to rely chiefly on its normative power, which is being eroded by a surge of illiberal politics.
References
Anghel, V. and Jones, E. (2024) “The Geopolitics of EU Enlargement: From Club to Commons”, Survival. Vol. 66(4), pp. 101–114. DOI: 10.1080/00396338.2024.2380203.
Bild.de (2024) Jeder zweite Deutsche fürchtet Putin-Angriff. Available at: https://www.bild.de/politik/inland/politik-inland/fast-40-prozent-legen-vorraete-an-jeder-zweite-deutsche-fuerchtet-putin-angriff-86953702.bild.html (Access 12.12.2024).
Börzel, T.A. (2023) “European Integration and the War in Ukraine: Just Another Crisis?”, Journal of the Common Market Studies. Vol. 61, Annual Review, pp. 14–30. DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13550.
Bull, H. (1982) “Civilian Power Europe: A Contradiction in Terms?”, Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 21(1, 2), pp. 149–169. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5965.1982.tb00866.x.
CBOS (2024) Wydarzenie roku 2023. Available at: https://www.cbos.pl/PL/publikacje/news/newsletter_ver3.php?news_r=2024&news_nr=03 (Access 12.12.2024).
Clarkson, A. (2021) “The EU’s Stealthy Hegemony and Ambiguous Neighbors,” Current History. Vol. 120(824), pp. 112–117. DOI: 10.1525/curh.2021.120.824.112.
cvce.eu (1998) Franco–British St. Malo Declaration. Available at: https://www.cvce.eu/content/publication/2008/3/31/f3cd16fb-fc37-4d52-936f-c8e9bc80f24f/publishable_en.pdf (Access 12.12.2024).
Diez, T. (2013) “Normative power as hegemony”, Conflict and Cooperation. Vol. 48(2), pp. 194–210. DOI: 10.1177/0010836713485387.
eda.europa.eu (2024) Building a common European defence policy in troubled times. Available at: https://eda.europa.eu/webzine/issue27/cover-story/building-a-common-european-defence-policy-in-troubled-times (Access 12.12.2024).
europarl.europa.eu (2024) Public opinion on Rusia’s war against Ukraine. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/files/be-heard/eurobarometer/2022/public-opinion-on-the-war-in-ukraine/en-public-opinion-on-the-war-against-ukraine-20240223.pdf (Access 12.12.2024).
European Commission (2024) Statement at the European Parliament Plenary by President Ursula von der Leyen, candidate for a second mandate 2024–2029. Available at: https://neighbourhood-enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/statement-european-parliament-plenary-president-ursula-von-der-leyen-candidate-second-mandate-2024-2024-07-18_en (Access 12.12.2024).
European Commission, ASAP (n.d.) Boosting defence production. Available at: https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/asap-boosting-defence-production_en (Access 12.12.2024).
European Commission, EDIRPA (n.d.) Procuring together defence capabilities. Available at: https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/edirpa-procuring-together-defence-capabilities_en (Access 12.12.2024).
European Parliament (1999) Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/summits/hel2_en.htm (Access: 12.12.2024).
European Union (n.d.) Foreign and Security Policy. Available at: https://european-union.europa.eu/priorities-and-actions/actions-topic/foreign-and-security-policy_en (Access 12.12.2024).
European Union (2024a) Schuman declaration May 1950. Available at: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/history-eu/1945-59/schuman-declaration-may-1950_en (Access 12.12.2024).
European Union (2024b) Standard Eurobarometer 101 – Spring 2024. Available at: https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3216 (Access 12.12.2024).
statista.com (2024) Total annual personnel in the armed forces of European Union member states from 1989 to 2019. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1393673/eu-military-defense-total-armed-forces-personnel/#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20mili-tary%20personnel,than%20two%20million%20by%202019 (Access 12.12.2024).
Fabra, P. (1991) “Mitterand-Metternich”, Le Monde, 3.06.
Federal Foreign Office (2008) The European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Available at: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/europe/gsvp-start/209178 (Access 12.12.2024).
Finnish Government (2024) Citizens’ Pulse: Finns now more concerned about escalation of war in Ukraine. Available at: https://valtioneuvosto.fi/en/-/10616/citizens-pulse-finns-now-more-concerned-about-escalation-of-war-in-ukraine (Access 12.12.2024).
iiss.org (2024) The military balance 2024. Available at: https://www.iiss.org/publications/the-military-balance/ (Access 12.12.2024).
Friesendorf, C., Neubauer, P. and Schroeder, U.C. (2024) “Implementing CSDP missions: the daily travails of police experts”, European Security. Vol. 33(1), pp. 63–81. DOI: 10.1080/09662839.2023.2232138.
Genschel, P. (2022) “Bellicist Integration? The War in Ukraine, the European Union and Core State Powers”, Journal of European Public Policy. Vol. 29(12), pp. 1885–1990. DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2022.2141823.
Hassner, P. (1994) “Beyond the Three Traditions: The Philosophy of War and Peace in Historical Perspective”, International Affairs. Vol. 70(4), pp. 734–756. DOI: 10.2307/2624556.
Heisbourg, F. (2024) “Planning for a Post-American Europe”, Survival. Vol. 66(3), pp. 7–20. DOI: 10.1080/00396338.2024.2357473.
Howorth, J. (2017) “«Stability on the Borders»: The Ukraine Crisis and the EU’s Constrained Policy Towards the Eastern Neighbourhood”, JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 55(1), pp. 121–136. DOI: 10.1111/jcms.12448.
Jastrzębska, O. (2024) NATO’s Eastern Flank Response to the Russian Threat: Poland’s “East” Shield Programme and the Defence Concepts of the Baltic States and Finland. Available at: https://pulaski.pl/en/natos-eastern-flank-response-to-the-russian-threat-polands-east-shield-programme-and-the-defence-concepts-of-the-baltic-states-and-finland/ (Access 25.02.2025).
Jones, E. (2024) “Changing the Way We Think About Europe”, Survival. Vol. 66(3), pp. 159–166. DOI: 10.1080/00396338.2024.2357488.
Kaiser, K., Leber, G., Mertes, A. and Schulze, F.-J. (1982) “Nuclear Weapons and the Preservation of Peace: A Response to an American Proposal for Renouncing the First Use of Nuclear Weapons”, Foreign Affairs. Vol. 60(5), pp. 1157–1170. DOI: 10.2307/20041280.
Kassoti, E. and Wessel, R.A. (2023) “Strategic Autonomy: The Legal Contours of a Security Policy Construct”, European Foreign Affairs Review. Vol. 28(4), pp. 305–310. DOI: 10.54648/EERR2023023.
Lellouche, P. (1993) “France in Search of Security”, Foreign Affairs. Vol. 72(2), p. 130. DOI: 10.2307/20045530.
Loss, R. and Mehrer, A. (2023) Striking absence: Europe’s missile gap and how to close it. Available at: https://ecfr.eu/article/striking-absence-eu-ropes-missile-gap-and-how-to-close-it/ (Access 12.12.2024).
Lukes, S. (2007) Power and the battle for hearts and minds in Berenskoetter F. and Williams, M.J. (eds.) Power in World Politics. London: Routledge, pp. 83–97.
Marks, G. (2012) “Europe and Its Empires: From Rome to the European Union”, Journal of Common Market Studies. Vol. 50(1), pp. 1–20. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5965.2011.02218.x.
Maurer, H., Raube, K. and Whitman, R.G. (2024) “«Zeitenwende» as coming of age? EU foreign and security policy through war and peace”, European Security. Vol. 33(3), pp. 345–363. DOI: 10.1080/09662839.2024.2376604.
Nielsen, M.L. (2024) “Exploring EU’s Self-narratives in State of the Union Addresses (2010–2023): From Ambition to Consolidation”, European Foreign Affairs Review. Vol. 29(3), pp. 295–330. DOI: 10.54648/EERR2024014.
nobelprize.org (2012) Available at: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2012/summary/ (Access 12.12.2024).
Nuttall, S.J. (1992) European Political Cooperation. Oxford: Clarendon Press. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198273189.001.0001.
polish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu (2024) The speech of Polish Prime Minister at the European Parliament: “Europe is not yet lost as long as we are alive”. Available at: https://polish-presidency.consilium.europa.eu/en/news/the-speech-of-polish-prime-minister-at-the-european-parliament-europe-is-not-yet-lost-as-long-as-we-are-alive/ (Access 25.01.2025).
Riddervold, M. and Rieker, P. (2024) “Finally coming of age? EU foreign and security policy after Ukraine”, European Security. Vol. 33(3), pp. 497–516. DOI: 10.1080/09662839.2024.2376616.
Rohan, S. (2014) The Western European Union: International Politics between Alliance and Integration. London: Routledge.
Ross, T., Caulcutt, C. von der Burchard, H. and Barigazzi, J. (2025) “Trump and Putin stun Europe with peace plan for Ukraine”, Politico. 12.02. Available at: https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-stun-europe-peace-plan-ukraine-nato/ (Access 12.02.2025).
Segers, M. and van Hecke, S. (eds.) (2024) The European Union. Vol. 1. European Integration Outside-In. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/9781108781480.001.
Smith, M. (2022) Support for EU army grows across Europe following Russian invasion of Ukraine. Available at: https://yougov.co.uk/international/articles/42386-support-eu-army-grows-across-europe-following-russ (Access 12.12.2024).
Thacher, M. (1993) The Downing Street Years. London: Harper Collins, p. 791.
Verstraete, W. (2024) “Making Sense of European Disunity on Nuclear Weapon Questions”, European Foreign Affairs Review. Vol. 29(3), pp. 361–378. DOI: 10.54648/EERR2024016.washingtonpost.com (2022) What the Budapest Memorandum means for the U.S. on Ukraine. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ politics/2022/02/01/what-budapest-memorandum-means-us-ukraine/ (Access 12.12.2024).
Wolff, G.B., Burilkov, A., Bushnell, K. and Kharitonov, I. (2024) Fit for war in decades: sluggish German rearmament versus surging Russian defence production. Available at: https://www.bruegel.org/analysis/fit-war-dec-ades-sluggish-german-rearmament-versus-surging-russian-defence-production (Access 12.12.2024).
Zielonka, J. (1998) Explaining Euro-Paralysis. Why Europe is Unable to Act in International Politics. London: MacMillan. DOI: 10.1057/9780230372849.
Zielonka, J. (2006) Europe as Empire. The Nature of the Enlarged European Union. Oxford: Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/0199292213.001.0001.
DOI: 10.33067/SE.1.2025.3
Language: English
Pages: 39-54
How to Cite:
Harvard
Zielonka, J. (2025) "Can a Civilian Power Survive in an Uncivilised World?". Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 1/2025, pp. 39-54. DOI: 10.33067/SE.1.2025.3