The European project has always shown its fragility in moments of crisis. In uncertain times, the national states have always returned to their national politics, and prefer to make regional alliances instead of acting as a whole.
Due to multiple conflicts on Europe’s borders and considering the complicated European history, the states have learned to behave this way and still do.
But why do they prefer to act like this in the European Union?
History has created habits of action in moments of crisis. Just as each of us when having problems or need to do something urgently turns to what we know the best (the most used working methods that have never disappointed), so do the national states.
We prefer safe solutions to uncertainty.
What happens in the European Union in uncertain times?
In the EU, even in the absence of crises, the nation-states appreciate more the regional alliances. Why? Because the states from the same region have the same type of problems, and if they ally, they have a better chance of putting their problems on the agenda of the Union.
However, during crises, many states prefer to return to their national politics, trying to solve problems according to the old governance methods often forgetting about alliances.
Can we condemn states for this attitude?
The answer is No. Because the national states are the ones who, through the social contract, are committed to defending our interests and guaranteeing our well-being. If the nation-state believes that this can be done better through national policies and by restoring different rules, then it has every right to do so. Unlike the national states, if the EU fails to defend our interests, it cannot be blamed as it is only an organization.
What is the current relationship between national states and the EU?
Trying to achieve its goals, the European Commission asks the national states for more and more funds to finance:
– Ukraine, around 29 million euros for next year;
– the fight against climate change, which will translate into fewer subsidies in the agricultural field for the coming years.
The increase of funds at the European level implies fewer funds at the national level, which upsets the officials as they find it difficult to meet other social needs. In contrast, the European budget increases only on certain projects and does not translate into an immediate improvement in people’s quality of life.
In this context, the leaders of the national states tell those in Brussels to tighten their money belts, not to demand this from the national states.
Other nationalist behaviors were triggered after the EU strong collaboration with Ukraine since the beginning of the war. This provoked nationalist reactions in the European states, especially among those who:
- they have a direct border with Ukraine and have seen the negative impact of “solidarity lanes” on competition in the field of grains on the EU market;
- who produce products similar to Ukraine and have understood the negative impact on their incomes in the presence of a strong producer like Ucraine.