In addition to the outbreak of the economic and social crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic has also caused profound booms in the international system and in the way the European Union relates to its neighbors, the United Kingdom, its traditional ally, the United States and its trading partners China and Brazil.
At the global level, there is a recent trend in the international arena of uniting forces opposing the consensus of Washington, with Latin America being a prominent example of this trend. In this region, we can observe the political consolidation of the left, while expanding support for this political sphere, and specifically in Chile where the majority of the left / center left will rewrite a new constitution. However, not all countries are part of this logic, and Brazil is a model case that does not fall within this latter logic, but it also does not seek to join Biden’s presidency, the European Union, or China.
In light of these changes in Latin America, the European Union’s foreign policy has shown weaknesses in asserting its influence in the region, after it lost space to China. Unlike the European Union, Xi Jinping’s regime strengthened its presence, and strengthened its diplomatic and trade relations with Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil and other countries.
China is slowly revising the international system, expanding its influence. In this way, the concern of European leaders regarding this phenomenon can be understood, but the European Union’s action to combat this trend, which has intensified significantly during the epidemic, has been ineffective. Although the European Union is not seeking to lead the post-Covid-19 world, it must prevent a simultaneous shift in the balance of power that would displace economic and political centers away from the Atlantic region and reduce the role of the European economy in the global.
A European economy really needs to come to terms with its traditional ally, the United States. Relations between the European Union and the United States have deteriorated in recent years during the Trump presidency and even with the Biden administration, which is calling for the raising of vaccine patents. North Americans strive to maintain their dominance in the world, so the priority is not Europe, but rather a multifaceted strategy, with a special focus on the Asian space. In this scenario, the European Union has gradually become distant from the two powers.
At a time when China and the United States are in conflict with world leadership, the European Union is trying to entrench itself in its regional space, with the recent escalation of tensions between it and its neighbors, especially the United Kingdom. Relations between London and Brussels showed tensions in the post-Brexit period, and now, with the victory of the Scottish nationalists, the diplomatic climate has deteriorated, with the policy of the Boris Johnson government, which is particularly distinct from European trends, in particular in the new work legislation for Uber and Intent. Nationalization of the railways.
The European Union was in an enormous bind in the face of changes in the international system. What can you do to consolidate your influence in the new world that is being born?
