The Passage to Europe

How a Continent Became a Union

Luuk van Middelaar

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English

Yale University Press
23 June 2020

Philosophy; Politics & government

The untold story of the crises and compromises that united a continent

“A work of impressive scholarship and historical imagination, . . . unlike anything written about the EU before or since”—Perry Anderson, London Review of Books

As financial turmoil in Europe preoccupies political leaders and global markets, it becomes more important than ever to understand the forces that underpin the European Union, hold it together and drive it forward. This timely book provides a gripping account of the realities of power politics among European states and between their leaders. Drawing on long experience working behind the scenes, Luuk van Middelaar captures the dynamics and tensions shaping the European Union from its origins until today.

It is a story of unexpected events and twists of fate, bold vision and sheer necessity, told from the perspective of the keyplayers – from de Gaulle to Havel, Thatcher to Merkel. Van Middelaar cuts through the institutional complexity by exploring the unforeseen outcomes of decisive moments and focusing on the quest for public legitimacy.

As a first-hand witness to the day-to-day actions and decisions of Europe’s leaders, the author provides a vivid narrative of the crises and compromises that united a continent. By revisiting the past, he sheds fresh light on the present state of European unification and offers insights into what the future may hold.

By: Luuk van Middelaar
Imprint: Yale University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 197mm, Width: 127mm, Spine: 3mm
Weight: 426g
ISBN: 9780300255126
ISBN 10: 0300255128
Pages: 392
Publication Date: 23 June 2020
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Luuk van Middelaar is a Dutch political philosopher and currently policy advisor and speechwriter to the president of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy. He lives in Brussels, Belgium.

Reviews for The Passage to Europe: How a Continent Became a Union

This insightful book, written by someone close to events, comprehends and confronts the dynamic tensions in Europe between the politicians and public opinion. A must-read for reform-minded pro-Europeans and sceptics alike. -Lord Mandelson The Passage to Europe is a book on European integration like no other: history, political theory, social science and constitutional law laid out in such a personal and compelling narrative that one does not perceive the depth of learning and experience underlying it. Students, politicians and anyone interested in European politics will profit from reading this book. There are few better ways to grasp how a continent became a Union. -Joseph H.H. Weiler, author of The Constitution of Europe: 'Do the New Clothes Have an Emperor?' and Other Essays on European Integration A revolution in thinking and speaking about Europe. -Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans