Review – Europe Reset: New Directions for the #EU

In his latest (informative and entertaining) text, Richard Youngs, professor of international relations at the UK’s University of Warwick, identifies the EU’s chief problem as being a question of shallow democratic procedures, writes James Drew. 

If many citizens are increasingly feeling cut off from their own national governments, their feelings of alienation from the EU’s institutions are ever more acute. The remedy, Youngs claims, lies in more civic participation in EU affairs and more explicit recognition of the continent’s social, economic and cultural diversity.

“To avert a wholesale meltdown of the European dream, the EU’s whole raison d’être must evolve, from reconciliation between nations to democracy among citizens,” says Youngs.

While perhaps Youngs does allow his enthusiasm for his own ‘big plans’ to hold the text in thrall, there is no doubting that his argument that citizens should play a greater role in European decisionmaking, and that there should be a great deal more flexibility in the process of integration, with Europe taking a new, more coherent, approach to questions of defence and security, is difficult to counter.

In proposing this model for a “reset” version of Europe, Youngs has managed to reinvigorate the debate around the future of Europe and has successfully put forward a new agenda for the future of the EU.

Europe Reset: New Directions for the EU is available on Amazon here.

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