The Search for Leadership and a Convincing Narrative

Abstract

This chapter examines the absence of convincing European Union (EU) narratives at present, which indicates that the dominant EU narrative of peace has not been replaced by a narrative of hope at a time of crisis. The narratives of success and resolution are being replaced by chronicles of failure. The narrative of economic growth is being replaced by accounts of austerity, recession and panic. This chapter also examines the related crisis of leadership. It provides an assessment of the different positions adopted by leaders of the large member states to the Eurozone crisis and the dominance of national calculations in the solutions proposed to the crisis to date. This chapter critically assesses the resort to technocratic decision-making and responses in select member states. It suggests that there are competence gaps among the EU institutions and between these EU institutions and the member states.