The Franco-German Rivalry in the Post-Brexit European Union

Yıl 2021, Cilt 18, Sayı 71, 129 - 149, 26.10.2021

Çağatay ÖZDEMİR

https://doi.org/10.33458/uidergisi.947537

Öz

A significant foundation of European stability after World War II has been the balance of power between the United Kingdom (UK), France, and Germany. The UK’s accession to the European Communities (EC) in 1973 had carried that ‘balance’ into the EC’s institutional framework. In this regard, the UK’s withdrawal from EU structures may lead to an important political and financial vacuum at the center of the Union. In the wake of Brexit, indications of anxiety and concerns about power imbalances have emerged around the question of which country or counties will steer the Union. There exit fresh post-Brexit assessments that indicate that the UK’s departure from the EU may catalyze the differences between Germany and France. This paper will discuss three essential scenarios for the EU’s political and economic future direction, namely, French leadership, German leadership, and a Franco-German partnership, for the post-Brexit period.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Brexit, European Union, Power Struggle, France, Germany

Brexit Sonrası Avrupa Birliğinde Alman-Fransız Rekabeti

Öz

İkinci Dünya Savaşı’ndan sonra Avrupa’nın istikrarının temellerinden birini Birleşik Krallık’ın, Fransa ve Almanya arasındaki güç dengesi oluşturmaktaydı. Birleşik Krallık’ın 1973’te Avrupa Toplulukları’na (AT) katılması, söz konusu dengeyi, AT’nin kurumsal çerçevesi içine taşımıştı. Bu bağlamda, Britanya’nın Birlikten ayrılması Avrupa Birliği’nin (AB) merkezinde siyasi ve finansal anlamda büyük boşluklar oluşmasına yol açabilir. Brexit gerçekleşirken, Birliğe hangi ülkenin / ülkelerin yön vereceği sorusu etrafında bir gerilimin ve güç dengesizliği endişesinin işaretleri ortaya çıkmaktadır. Britanya’nın AB’den ayrılmasının, Almanya ve Fransa arasındaki farkları açığa çıkaracağı şeklinde yorumlar yapılmaktadır. Brexit sonrası dönemde AB’nin geleceğine ilişkin; Fransız liderliği, Alman liderliği ve Fransız-Alman ortaklığı şeklinde ifade edilebilecek üç ana senaryonun öne çıkabileceği tartışılmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Brexit, Avrupa Birliği, Güç Mücadelesi, Fransa, Almanya

Kaynakça

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