European institutions in the era of crisis: a problem of leadership?

Political leadership in the European Union is an issue that has attracted less scholarly attention than many other aspects of European politics and governance. This lack of attention stands in sharp contrast to, on the one hand, the extensive research and literature on political leadership in regard to national political systems, and, on the other hand, the obvious need to reflect on the nature of political leadership in the EU. In light of the recent crises in the European Union there is a need for more systematic analysis of political leadership in the EU. While many observers agree that the European Union suffers from a crisis of leadership, the diagnoses of the precise nature of this crisis vary: some complain about the lack of strong and visionary leaders, while others argue that the EU suffers from too much elite leadership. This article analyses both theories and argues that the problem of European leadership lies in the profound difference between the attribution of EU leadership and the legitimacy on which it rests. This specific situation is almost the polar opposite to the exercise of political leadership at national level, where many leaders are imposing themselves using populist forms of leadership.