Emotions are running high in EU foreign policy – and that's ok

EU foreign policy is often seen as unemotional and bureaucratic, but European politics are increasingly driven by emotion. In this article, Seda Gürkan, Assistant Professor in European Approaches to Security, Diplomacy and Global Affairs, explores when emotions influence EU foreign policy.

Author

Seda Gürkan & Özlem Terzi

Date

18 July 2024

Links

Read the full article here

The study aimed to understand when emotions influence EU foreign policy and when they lead to action. While some argue that the EU is paralysed by fear, the authors explored if fear or other emotions could also enable policies. Breaches of international norms were found to be key triggers of emotional responses. The study concluded that emotions do matter in EU foreign policy, but their impact depends on the EU's self-perception, identity, and interests. Once emotions take hold, they can play four distinct roles that policymakers should consider.

• eu policy making
• european foreign policy
• european union