European unity - EU solidarity now facing a huge test

Ireland assumes the presidency of the European Union in just over a month but it is fair to say that the European project has not faced greater challenges or been more uncertain since the Treaty of Rome, the foundation document of the European Economic Community precursor of the European Union, was signed by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany in 1957.

Some months ago it looked as if our next whirl in the president’s office would be dominated almost exclusively by economic matters but now a renewed interest in self-determination by some countries and even regions, ironically because of flat-lining economies, has broadened that agenda. This widening front must be managed by the Irish presidency even as domestic issues become, if this is possible, even more fraught. The crisis facing the world economy, and specifically the crisis facing the 17 eurozone countries, has rejuvenated nationalist sentiment and aspirations.

In Spain that development will, as Sunday’s elections have shown, lead to continuing instability.