On the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Verdun yesterday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande stood hand-in-hand to light a flame commemorating the longest battle in the First World War. The commemoration of the landmark battle is all the more relevant as Europe is at a crossroads — centrifugal forces of disintegration and the institutional pull of unity pulling it apart. The European project is strained under the weight of unprecedented migration, lingering possibility of Britain leaving the bloc and varying political forces tugging at the seams of a system forged with the aim of bringing about unity among varying socio-cultural strains. Often misunderstood as a monolithic entity, Europe stretches from the Balkans to the United Kingdom and Italy to Norway — straddling many cross-cultural divides.
The European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 “for over six decades of contribution to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe”. Europe, in the 20th century, was often called the dark continent as it fought wars to redefine borders amid competing claims to territory and sovereignty. Despite forces of disunity in prominence today, it is a feat that Europe has held together relatively well.
The influence of the Russian sphere on the geography and polity of the continent cannot be overemphasized. Russia’s tug of war with the West has been largely shaped by the rivalry over eastern Europe. The crisis in Ukraine is an example of the West and Moscow battling for supremacy. The eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) fanned the rivalry with Russia even after the Cold War ended following the crumbling of the Soviet edifice.
Europeans reenact wars and observe the anniversaries of key battles to mark points in history when politics and society perhaps worked at cross-purposes. 300,000 lives were lost in the battle of Verdun as France emerged victorious. Hollande and Merkel’s comment yesterday that the European Union must now pull together to deal with the migrant crisis and a possible British exit in a referendum next month deserves applause and introspection.
Words aside, the complete integration of Europe has become a daunting challenge. Not only are migration and Brexit to be blamed, the rise of the far-right and the inability of certain states to shoulder the burden of migrants trigger concern. While Greece has been crushed by a debilitating debt crisis, Turkey cries itself hoarse to find its way into the European Union. It is not a surprise that Europe is strained. Managing the crisis, though a challenge, is not an unachievable task.
On the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Verdun yesterday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande stood hand-in-hand to light a flame commemorating the longest battle in the First World War. The commemoration of the landmark battle is all the more relevant as Europe is at a crossroads — centrifugal forces of disintegration and the institutional pull of unity pulling it apart. The European project is strained under the weight of unprecedented migration, lingering possibility of Britain leaving the bloc and varying political forces tugging at the seams of a system forged with the aim of bringing about unity among varying socio-cultural strains. Often misunderstood as a monolithic entity, Europe stretches from the Balkans to the United Kingdom and Italy to Norway — straddling many cross-cultural divides.
The European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 “for over six decades of contribution to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe”. Europe, in the 20th century, was often called the dark continent as it fought wars to redefine borders amid competing claims to territory and sovereignty. Despite forces of disunity in prominence today, it is a feat that Europe has held together relatively well.
The influence of the Russian sphere on the geography and polity of the continent cannot be overemphasized. Russia’s tug of war with the West has been largely shaped by the rivalry over eastern Europe. The crisis in Ukraine is an example of the West and Moscow battling for supremacy. The eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) fanned the rivalry with Russia even after the Cold War ended following the crumbling of the Soviet edifice.
Europeans reenact wars and observe the anniversaries of key battles to mark points in history when politics and society perhaps worked at cross-purposes. 300,000 lives were lost in the battle of Verdun as France emerged victorious. Hollande and Merkel’s comment yesterday that the European Union must now pull together to deal with the migrant crisis and a possible British exit in a referendum next month deserves applause and introspection.
Words aside, the complete integration of Europe has become a daunting challenge. Not only are migration and Brexit to be blamed, the rise of the far-right and the inability of certain states to shoulder the burden of migrants trigger concern. While Greece has been crushed by a debilitating debt crisis, Turkey cries itself hoarse to find its way into the European Union. It is not a surprise that Europe is strained. Managing the crisis, though a challenge, is not an unachievable task.
