The Normative Power of the EU. Empirical Case Study of the Syrian Crisis

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: European Union, grade: 2,0, University of Ghent, language: English, abstract: This article analyses the extent to which the European Union (EU) constitutes a normative power in its response on the Syrian Conflict. Normative power Europe is examined along principles, actions and impact. The empirical analysis focuses on two norms: democracy and human rights. According to analysis, taken measures by the EU have been moderate and less influential on the national level while the value promotion on the reginal level could prove its normative power. For several decades EU foreign policy analysis is concerned with the question of European Union (EU) actorness and the role of EU in international politics. Analysts are talking of the EU as a Military Power, Civilian Power, Soft Power or Cultural Power. General discussion of conceptual frameworks of the Normative Power Europe has become immensely popular in the EU studies and has provoked substantial debate. At the same time, the EU has been experiencing a dramatic change in its direct neighborhood. Syrian Arab Republic, the country located in the heart of Middle East, turned into a new hybrid war and the region was overwhelmed with one of the worst humanitarian crises the world has faced in the 21st century. About 5.6 million Syrians are recent refugees in neighboring countries, 11.7 million Syrians are in need of humanitarian assistance internally and over 560.000 became victims of the Syrian war. The extent and continuation of the conflict also has a destabilizing impact and turned the neighborhood into a ¿ring of fire¿. The displacement of people, the exacerbation of political and sectarian differences and the spread of terrorism are forming a new threat to the democratic institution of the EU.