GERMANY’S ROLE IN EUROPE: WHY NOT HEGEMON?

FILIPOVIĆ Vladimir D. (Vladimir D. Filipović, Ph.D. candidate, Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade), filkebgd@gmail.com

There is an ongoing debate about Germany’s role in europe in global academic and intellectual circles. the debate on the role of Germany in europe gained momentum with its reunification in 1990, only to become current after the onset of the financial and economic crisis of 2008, and we further expect it to develop after the potential withdrawal of the UK from the european Union. In this debate, one can find various determinants of Germany’s role, from being a civilian force, a central force, an insecure force, all the way to being a reluctant hegemon. Due to europe’s sensitive past and the sentiment German hegemony evokes in europe, the paper will specifically address this issue. In the paper, we will initially address the concept of hegemony and then analyse whether Germany has these characteristics today. Subsequently, the question of hegemony will be considered in the contemporary context, both in international relations and with regard to the acceptance such concept has in the post-World War II liberaldemocratic system of Germany. Finally, an assessment will be made of whether Germany occupies the place of a hegemonic power in europe and whether it falls within Germany’s priorities for the future.

Keywords: hegemony, hegemon, dominant position, Germany, europe, German reunification, eurozone crisis