Der Westbalkan im „Great Game“
The Western Balkans in the “Great Game”

Geopolitical Rivalries as a Challenge for the EU

Summary/Abstract: The growing influence of authoritarian powers in South Eastern Europe, and especially inthe Western Balkan region, has recently become the focus of wider and intense debate.China and Russia in particular are trying to establish and expand dependencies in order toexert political influence. Against this background, experts discuss the EU’s “political Achillesheel” (H. Münkler).Political implications and dangers are also perceived and closely followed in the EuropeanUnion. The Corona crisis has reinforced authoritarian trends in the region. The managementof the pandemic has exposed both the geopolitical weaknesses of EU-Europe and thestrengths of authoritarian powers to use such crises offensively in the geostrategic powergame.As the dominant economic and political power centre in Europe, the EU will have to facethese geopolitical challenges to a greater extent than ever before. In order to permanentlystabilize its “courtyard” in South-Eastern Europe, it will have to make greater political andmaterial efforts.

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