Germany’s Leadership Role in the European Union: An Analysis Through Theoretical Perspectives and Contemporary Political and Economic Challenges
Main Article Content
Abuzar Khpalwak Zazai
Aminullah Mohammadi
Ismail Roshangar
This research paper examines Germany’s leadership role within the European Union, drawing on European Leadership Theory alongside complementary perspectives from Neoliberalism and Neorealism. As the EU’s largest economy and a founding member, Germany occupies a pivotal position requiring the balancing of national priorities with broader European integration goals. The study aims to analyze how Germany’s leadership shapes and responds to the evolving political and economic challenges facing the Union. Employing a systematic literature review, the research analyzes secondary data collected from reputable academic databases such as JSTOR, Scopus, Web of Science, and official EU documentation portals, covering publications from 1990 to 2024. Using qualitative content analysis, the study explores Germany’s role through three theoretical lenses: the promotion of institutional cooperation and economic interdependence (Neoliberalism); power dynamics and strategic positioning within a competitive international system (Neorealism); and culturally sensitive, participative leadership that reflects European values of inclusivity and cohesion (European Leadership Theory). The findings reveal Germany’s leadership as multidimensional and adaptive, effectively combining soft and hard power to navigate contemporary challenges such as the Eurozone crisis, rising populism, Euroscepticism, and energy security issues intensified by the Ukraine conflict. Germany’s strategic engagement with EU mechanisms, including the European Stability Mechanism, underscores its commitment to stability and integration. In conclusion, the paper argues that Germany’s ability to integrate these theoretical frameworks into a cohesive leadership model is vital for sustaining EU unity, promoting deeper integration, and securing the long-term resilience of the European project.
Ağralı, E. (2024). The Shift Of Germany In Security And Defence Policies: An Analysis In Frame Of Neoclassical Realism. Marmara Üniversitesi Avrupa Araştırmaları Enstitüsü Avrupa Araştırmaları Dergisi, 32(2), 143-169.
Bastasin, C. (2024). Germany's economic weakness may help strengthen the European Union. Institute for European Analysis and Policy.
Becker , S. (2013). Germany And War:Understanding Strategic Culture Under The Merkel Government. IRSEM.
Böttger, K., & Jopp, M. (2017). Fundamentals of German European Policy. Berlin: German European Policy Series.
Bulmer, S, & Paterson, W. E. (2013). Germany as the EU's reluctant hegemon? Journal of European Public Policy, 20, 1387-1405.
Bulmer, S. &. (2019). Germany and the European Union: Europe's reluctant hegemon? . Palgrave Macmillan.
Duffield, J. (1999). Political Culture and State Behavior:Why Germany Confounds Neorealism. International Organization, 53(4), 765-803.
G. Schoeller, M., & Karlsson, O. (2021, Feb 22). Championing the 'German model'? Germany's consistent preferences on the integration of fiscal constraints. Journal of European Integration, 43(2), 191-207. doi:10.1080/07036337.2021.1877697
Gilbert, M., Oberloskamp, E., & Raithel, T. (2019). Introduction: Germany and European Integration. University of Nebraska Press. doi:https://doi.org/10.1353/gych.2019.0000
Hedlund, A., & Martins, A. A. (2017, 11 1). Germany and Greece in the Eurozone Crisis from the Viewpoint of the Neo-Neo Debate. Brazilian political science association, 1/31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1981-3821201700010004
House, R. J. (2004). Culture, leadership, and organizations. The GLOBE study of 62 societies.
KARKOSZKA, D. (n.d.). The role of Germany in the evolving European architecture. The Defense and Securities Studies Department, Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
Kreft, D. H. (2015). Germany, Europe and the Challenges of a Multipolar World. Berlin: ISPSW Strategy Series: Focus on Defense and International Security.
Mearsheimer, J. J. (2001). The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. W. W. Norton & Company.
Mello, P. (2024). Zeitenwende: German Foreign Policy Change in the Wake of Russia's War Against Ukraine. Cogitatio, 12, 1-17. doi:https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.7346
Möller, A., & Parkes, R. (2012). Germany as Viewed by Other EU Member States. EPIN. Retrieved from http://www.ceps.eu
Moravcsik, A. (1998). The Choice for Europe: Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht. Cornell University Press.
Price, A, H. (2006). Normative’ power Europe: A realist critique. Journal of European Public Policy, 13(2), 217-234.
Pühringer, S. (2016). Think Tank networks of German neoliberalism. Power structures in economics and economic policies in post-war Germany. ECONSTOR, 1-25. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10419/171428
Pureza, J. M., & Mortágua, M. (2016). THE EUROPEAN NEOLIBERAL ORDER AND THE EURO CRISIS. World Review of Political Economy, 7(3), 363-381.
Schmidt, V. A. (2015). The European Union: Democratic Principles and Institutional Architectures. The Oxford Handbook of Political Institutions, 480-501.
Schoeller, M. (2016). Explaining Political Leadership: The Role of Germany and the EU Institutions in Eurozone Crisis Management. (E. U. (EUI), Ed.) Cadmus. Retrieved from https://cadmus.eui.eu/handle/1814/43705
van de, T., Wijgert, & Prof. Dr. A.J.A Bijsterveld. (2015, May). Reconciliation and development of identity after the Second World War: A comparison between Germany and Japan. Tilburg University.
Waltz, K. N. (1979). Theory of International Politics. Addison-Wesley.
Wilkinson, M. A. (2023). On the New German Ideology. Oxford University Press, 281-295. doi:10.1093/ oso/ 9780192855480.003.0013
Żurek, M. (2019). The evolution of the German concepts of military cooperation in Europe. Przegląd Europejski, 4. doi:doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0013.7886








