Valdai Club

Hans-Joachim Spanger, Head of Research Group and member of the Executive Board of the Peace Research Institute, talks about the future of the European Union and its relations with key powers, including Russia, China and the United States. The discussion was largely focused on the role of the EU after Brexit, and what the Brexit means for Europe.

According to Spanger, the EU suffers from institutional overstretch, as the institutions that have spread have too many competencies, that are all concentrated in Brussels. The Brexit referendum, among other things, has made the EU look inward, while politicians of individual states find it beneficial to blame the EU for their countries’ ills.