Table of Contents

Introduction: multiple crises and European governance; 1. Supranational and intergovernmental governance; 2. Intergovernmental governance and its implications; 3. Sovereignist challenges and the political union; 4. From Statist to federal political union; 5. The future of Europe as constitutional decoupling.

Promotional Information

The EU's crises have triggered a division between 'sovereignist' and 'Europeanist' forces. Fabbrini proposes a way for dealing with it.

About the Author

Sergio Fabbrini is Director of the Department of Political Sciences and Professor of Politics and International Relations at the Libera Universita Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli, Roma. His recent publications in English include, Which European Union: Europe After the Euro Crisis (Cambridge, 2015). He also writes political editorials for the Italian financial newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, for which he was awarded the 2017 Spinelli Prize. He is one of the best known European political scientists.

Reviews

'Europe's Future provides an incisive analysis of the design weaknesses of the European Union - its dual supranational and intergovernmental character - and explains how that structure has contributed to the extraordinary surge of opposition to the EU among voters across the continent. Sergio Fabbrini, one of the leading scholars of the EU, presents his case in a highly readable form and provides guidance as to how it can get out of its current predicament.' Francis Fukuyama, Stanford University, California
'Fabbrini's book is a twofold exercise in lesson-drawing and forward-looking. He designs a stimulating and challenging alternative to the present process of Europeanisation by decoupling market objectives from the aspiration of political integration. Both scholars and students will be nourished with food for thought aplenty in this rich and provocative study.' Yves Meny, European University Institute, Florence
'In a brilliant and complex study, Fabbrini develops a powerful explanation of the EU's present malaise and an original perspective on its possible correction. The way forward suggested would decouple the supranational regime of the Single Market from a more selective 'federal union'. This fascinating vision of a federal union 'functioning without a people, a government and a state' will push the debate on EU reforms beyond the current agenda of predictably ineffective or illegitimate proposals.' Fritz W. Scharpf, Max-Planck-Institut fur Gesellschaftsforschung, Cologne
'In this tour de force, Fabbrini boldly demonstrates how and why the EU's current institutional architecture, challenged by the euro and migration crises combined with the rise of nationalism and populism, can only be resolved by creating two unions, the economic one wide, for the Single Market, the political one deep, around the Euro area.' Vivien A. Schmidt, Boston University
'Europe's Future provides an incisive analysis of the design weaknesses of the European Union - its dual supranational and intergovernmental character - and explains how that structure has contributed to the extraordinary surge of opposition to the EU among voters across the continent. Sergio Fabbrini, one of the leading scholars of the EU, presents his case in a highly readable form and provides guidance as to how it can get out of its current predicament.' Francis Fukuyama, Stanford University, California
'Fabbrini's book is a twofold exercise in lesson-drawing and forward-looking. He designs a stimulating and challenging alternative to the present process of Europeanisation by decoupling market objectives from the aspiration of political integration. Both scholars and students will be nourished with food for thought aplenty in this rich and provocative study.' Yves Meny, European University Institute, Florence
'In a brilliant and complex study, Fabbrini develops a powerful explanation of the EU's present malaise and an original perspective on its possible correction. The way forward suggested would decouple the supranational regime of the Single Market from a more selective 'federal union'. This fascinating vision of a federal union 'functioning without a people, a government and a state' will push the debate on EU reforms beyond the current agenda of predictably ineffective or illegitimate proposals.' Fritz W. Scharpf, Max-Planck-Institut fur Gesellschaftsforschung, Cologne
'In this tour de force, Fabbrini boldly demonstrates how and why the EU's current institutional architecture, challenged by the euro and migration crises combined with the rise of nationalism and populism, can only be resolved by creating two unions, the economic one wide, for the Single Market, the political one deep, around the Euro area.' Vivien A. Schmidt, Boston University