Divisive Integration, Crisis Management in the European Union

Apparently, the most dramatic turmoil of the crisis process seems to be calmed down. At the same time, predominant austerity policies have deepened the economic and social problems. Economic and social developments across Europe are drifting apart. The same applies to the political situation. It is the very construction of the monetary union and the EU single market, as rooted in the Maastricht Treaty, and the implementation of austerity and labour market deregulation policies which make Europe appear to many people as a menace, rather than an achievement. It is a complex setting which provides tailwind to right-wing nationalist parties in many EU countries. In a nutshell, what has developed within only two years is a new and multifaceted political, social and economic European crisis, rather than just a continuation of earlier trends triggered by the Great Recession of 2008/2009 and the consecutive Eurozone crisis in 2010. A gradual recovery from the chronic crisis in the EU is possible only if there is a change of course in individual countries that then triggers reactions in the policies of other countries and perturbations at the EU level.  At the same time, a change of course in individual countries in most cases is no longer feasible without a green light or at least toleration from the level of the European institutions. The complex challenge to be taken on is the mutual dependency of re-orientations at national levels, and a turnaround at EU level for the support of national recovery and renewal agendas.