Publication

The EU is ill-suited to deal effectively with the kinds of crises represented by the Arab Spring. On the other hand, it has genuine strengths when it comes to supporting post-conflict transitions in a way that is less likely to be rejected by domestic actors as illegitimate interference. Because violent crises and post-conflict transitions are strongly interlinked challenges, this commentary argues that the EU needs to deal with its weaknesses and build on its strengths simultaneously in both conflict phases.