Contenu du sommaire : La déconstruction européenne ?

Political Europe: Is Hope Reasonable? The European crisis is primarily the result of economic difficulties and their social effects. The public now views the European project of increased and shared prosperity with distrust. Moreover, the current governance is highly unclear following a decade of enlargement. A European collective spirit can be reborn, but this revitalization will depend heavily on media and political elites, as well as new generations of European citizens.

Re-enchanting the European Dream? The European crisis is primarily a crisis of governance: the enlarged EU has no effective or legitimate institutional structure. It also raises the question of European identity, one that seems to present itself less and less often in national discussions. In addition, the crisis seriously affects the European morale: the European project as a whole seems worn out. This project will not bounce back until it redefines its notions of politicization, subsidiarity, solidarity, and differentiation.

The Euro Zone: Those Responsible for the Debt Crisis Who is responsible for the sovereign debt crisis? The same people who conceived of the Eurozone. But also the governments and the European Central Bank who did not see the dangers of lower interest rate alignment. Also responsible are the bank regulators who allowed sovereign debt to be tied to banking risks and the investors who acquired the debts of bordering countries at the same price as those of Germany. Only a proposition that will address all of these mechanisms will allow for a response to the challenges of the crisis.

Economic Governance in the Eurozone at Last? Faced with the Greek debt crisis, the Monetary Union has taken decisive steps: agreement to a collective settlement, establishment of a sustainable financial plan, involvement of the private sector in the handling of debt, and the tightening of political solidarity around a common currency. What remains is to go beyond these advances with new institutional breakthroughs towards federalism. The debate has begun in Germany; we must now be prepared in France.

Schengen: A Crisis in trompe l'œil The Schengen Agreement is often seen as a symbolic success of European expansion, and the crisis of 2011, after the arrival in Italy of Tunisian migrants, as calling it into question. Originally designed to ease circulation in a large single market, Schengen was especially important for strengthening the external borders of the Union from a security and intergovernmental standpoint. Despite sometimes bitter exchanges, the crisis of 2011 has not changed this fact.

Public Opinion and European Parties Facing the Monetary Union Crisis European citizens' skepticism with respect to the European Central Bank, the Council, the Commission, and even the Parliament is increasing. Plans for rescuing the most fragile countries in the Eurozone are often perceived negatively and confidence in the euro has begun to erode. Even on the level of political parties, though the foundations of the European project have not been undermined, many more critics have expressed concern regarding the European Union's governance.

Dynamics and Strategies of Democratization Decolonization has led us to the contemporary phase of democratization. The 1970s and 1980s in Latin America, and the events of the late 1980s in Central and Eastern Europe have gradually expanded the reach of multiparty regimes. The 1990s introduced the concept of reconciliation, which supports democratization through the acceptance of a common past. The question as to whether or not the Arab revolutions will lead to a further expansion of democratic space remains open.

The West, Exporter of Democracy For the past 20 years, the number of Western military interventions that have aimed to protect populations, defend fundamental liberties, or reestablish democracy have multiplied. Though they may be facilitated and legitimated by a rereading of international law, their ideological roots are deep and extend at least to the period of the conquistadores. The imposition of democracy by force, however, still risks failure, as can be seen in the example of Afghanistan.

Arab Spring: Between Authoritarianism and Democracy The Arab revolutions are part of a long-term gradual transformation that has seen post-colonial paternalistic states become predatory states. In the best cases, the survival strategies of authoritarian regimes have implemented a facade of liberalization and relied on the legitimacy granted them by a Western obsession with the destabilization of the region. But the passage of the revolutionary upsurge towards a democratic future may be long.

Elections in Africa: A Democratic Mirage? Since 2000, elections have been organized in almost every African country. The existence of formal electoral processes has not, however, prevented certain family dynasties from continuing. In addition, many elections are plagued with violence, and post-electoral crises can sometimes only be resolved by unsatisfactory power-sharing agreements. However, a number of positive developments in countries like South Africa seem to indicate that electoral democracy is in the process of being institutionalized in Africa.

Democratization in China The intellectual elites of the country agree on a democratic political horizon for China. Despite this fact however, current reforms seem not to fit into this overall plan. Furthermore, the elites are divided on the institutional nature of a future democracy and the speed with which it should be approached. This democracy cannot be reduced to an institutional advent of multiparty elections, as evidenced by the many current local democracy experiments.

International Cooperation and Nuclear Security The accident in Fukushima has led the IAEA, the guarantor of the international framework for nuclear safety, to test its emergency procedures and identify the instruments at its disposal. The Action Plan on Nuclear Safety of September 22nd, 2011 establishes the elements necessary for tighter controls based on the notion of transparent peer review. This Action Plan is an important step, as it is applicable without necessarily waiting for legal changes in the security agreements.

Islam in the Revolution The Syrian Islamic movement does not constitute a homogeneous block. The Muslim Brotherhood played no role in the field during the uprising of 2011 but were very active as exiled opponents. Their authority is challenged by new Muslim players such as the Independent Islamic Democratic Current. As for the Ulamas, some can be found supporting the regime whereas others are fighting at great risk alongside the protesters.

Afghanistan after 2014 The announcement of the allied forces' future withdrawal from Afghanistan leads us to consider a new stabilization system. Afghan forces alone cannot ensure the security of the country: they must continue to receive logistical support for intelligence and training. The transition policy requires institutional changes towards, for instance, decentralization, and an agreement between the present parties included, if possible, in a regional negotiation process.