The Financial Crisis and Cypriot Foreign Policy: Re-Europeanisation?

Abstract

This article seeks to investigate the impact of the Eurozone crisis on the foreign policy of member states, taking Cyprus as a case study. Drawing on the debate on Europeanisation of national foreign policies, it is argued that Cypriot foreign policy, despite the general frustration caused by the financial crisis within broader society, has actually undergone a further (re) Europeanisation. This is explained in the main by the change in government and leadership, from the ideologically left leaning, pro-European but policy critical Christofias administration to the (centre) right leaning, pro-European and Western oriented Anastasiades government. This article therefore explores the dynamics of (re) Europeanisation of Cypriot foreign policy in the financial crisis and demonstrates how Cypriot foreign policy elites have actually adapted a more rather than less EU-centric approach to foreign policy issues and actions.