![]() ![]() The biggest challenge had been from Russia which returned to the Mediterranean following the Syrian and Libyan crises. Moreover, European countries seem to have progressively abandoned multilateral debate given the stances of non-Western actors who have grown increasingly aggressive. The 2008 economic crisis the rise of the so-called sovranist movements, which strongly oppose any Euro-Mediterranean policy the migration problem and the terrorist attacks of the last two decades, which consolidated the idea that Europe should became a closed fortress, all enervated the EU and reduced its power to deal with global issues. However, compared to the decade immediately following the Cold War, the West now appears more fragmented, paralyzed by the reluctance of its members to give up their own sovereignty and delegate decision-making power to Brussels. Since its creation, the EU has attempted to overcome its inherently fragmented nature as a global actor by enhancing its strategic sovereignty and strengthening its “geopolitical” position with the ambition of defending its collective interests and values in a context of great-power competition. Traditionally, Western countries have tried to maintain a unity of purpose and some shared distinguishing principles and values, such as the concepts of liberal democracy, human rights, and international cooperation within multilateral institutions. This was highlighted in “Westlessness”, the report that opened the Munich Security Conference held in February 2019, intended to stimulate reflections on the failure of Europe as a united geopolitical actor. In the face of today’s multiple global security challenges, the EU’s internal coherence seems eroded to the point that the union is unable to find a common voice and convergence. In particular, this could have serious repercussions in crises such as the six-year devastating civil war raging in Libya, where Europe has already been called upon to intervene to stabilize the country. ![]() Indeed, in the medium and long terms, the political dynamics and mechanisms of alliance that have governed the international system to date risk being among COVID-19’s victims. This transformation risks speeding up some dynamics already underway, such as contracting European political support for external assistance programs-especially regarding the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)-in the face of the pandemic’s domestic socioeconomic consequences. Although the coronavirus emergency had the potential to spur European countries toward renewed solidarity and greater coordination, what emerged instead was a tendency to turn inward, forcing uncoordinated national responses to the crisis. When in early March the European Union (EU) became the epicenter of contagion, the credibility of its security and foreign policy further eroded. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, European policies toward post-Gaddafi Libya had been criticized for their ineffectiveness and structural deficiencies. ![]()
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