National Interests and European Integration

During the 1990s, observers began to point to a resurgence of 'national interests' in the public statements of European political leaders. This led to speculation about a possible shift in attitudes towards the European project and the mechanisms underlying the European Union (EU). Analysing stateme [...]
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During the 1990s, observers began to point to a resurgence of 'national interests' in the public statements of European political leaders. This led to speculation about a possible shift in attitudes towards the European project and the mechanisms underlying the European Union (EU). Analysing statements by Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroder, Milzow brings political discourse, specifically on national interest, together with events and policy priorities. As an integral part of negotiation and legitimisation strategies, political discourse informs the groundbreaking reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and the road to the first Eastern enlargement of the European Union in 2004. With war in Kosovo and disagreements over Iraq, it also sheds light on the development of the European Security and Defence Policy, as well as the underlying dynamics of European integration.