EU power in current politics hegemony

Abstract

Power is a substance concept in international relations, but experts have not agreed on how to quantify it. The paper covers the gap by descriptively analysing the European Union's role in the tumultuous political scenario of the XXI century. A sole hypothesis seeks to be answered: The European Union is a successful global smart power (SGSP), concept created specifically for the study. By analysing qualitative data through three key policy domains, the paper sheds light on the soft power role that the Union has been adopting regarding its external action tools. The realisation of the study has come up against an extraordinary milestone. In May 2022, the Ukraine war forced to shift the European Union's role, making the most of its smart power. The paper analyses the movements through Game Theory, being the actors' payoffs the critical take-off of the research. Five experts in the field helped relieve the matter thanks to their significant contributions during the interviews: Ana Coelho, Andrés Ortega Klein, Xavier Mas de Xaxàs, Manuel Szapiro, and Pol Morillas. The results suggest that success might depend on the moment of smart power application, notedly more helpful before the in-war context; also arguing that the European Union is an international actor capable of coaxing others successfully in own competency policies. Overall, the political scenario has undoubtedly changed along with EU policy, shaping the future lines of research, and will certainly not return to the status quo ante.

El poder és un concepte substancial en relacions internacionals, però no hi ha manera consensuada de quantificar-lo. El treball cobreix aquesta llacuna analitzant de manera descriptiva el paper de la Unió Europea al tumultuós escenari polític a través de tres àmbits d'acció exterior, analitzant si és un poder intel·ligent exitós global (SGSP, en anglès). Servint-se de la guerra d'Ucraïna a través de la Teoria de Jocs, el document teoritza sobre l'Europa geopolítica i les possibles sortides del conflicte. Indubtablement, l’hegemonia política ha canviat juntament amb el poder de la UE, i no tornarà al statu quo ante.

Poder es un concepto sustancial en relaciones internacionales, pero no existe manera consensuada de cuantificarlo. El trabajo cubre esta laguna analizando de forma descriptiva el papel de la Unión Europea en el tumultuoso escenario político a través de tres ámbitos de acción exterior, analizando si es un poder inteligente exitoso global (SGSP, en inglés). Sirviéndose de la guerra de Ucrania a través de la Teoría de Juegos, el documento teoriza sobre la Europa geopolítica y las posibles salidas del conflicto. Indudablemente, la hegemonía política ha cambiado junto con el poder de la UE, y no volverá al statu quo ante.