Greek Foreign Policy: the De-Europeanisation Impact of the Economic Crisis

Abstract

Greece is a particularly interesting and controversial case for the discussion of foreign policy-Europeanisation. The conventional view of Greek foreign policy contends that a completed process of Europeanisation, both in form and in substance, has occurred. That there has been a clear shift from “nationalist”, “pessimistic”, “defensive” and ethnocentric” positions to a ‘realistic’, ‘optimistic’, ‘active’ Europeanisation. This may have happened to a certain extent but, enthusiastic views about the Europeanisation of Greek foreign policy seem not to take into account a number of issues that existed before the economic crisis, but which have intensified since then. This paper, therefore asks how the economic crisis has affected the Europeanisation process of Greece’s foreign policy. Focusing on the case of Greek economic diplomacy it demonstrates how Europeanisation since 2008 through demanding austerity measures along with strict structural reforms in Greece’s institutions has been perceived as an “imposed Europeanisation”. It is thus argued that Greek foreign policy has not been Europeanised in form or in substance in relation to economic diplomacy. Far from being a completed process, the Europeanisation of Greek foreign policy is a rather superficial development which has only so far, and only partly, affected the elites in Greece as well as Greek public opinion. The economic crisis has further delegitimised any progress achieved so far in terms of the Europeanisation process and has affected in negative terms the way Greeks feel about the European Union.