Francis Cheneval fears passionate excess within the EU

The professor of philosophy Francis Cheneval, director of studies at the European Institute of the University of Geneva (IEUG), considers that "the logic of European integration is one of civil power, of building shared, or stratified identities and interdependent relations. The weakened intensity of passionate sentiment felt by Europeans towards such a decentred structure can also be seen as a clear sign that politics beyond passionate excess is possible. However, political romanticism may well be spurred if a powerful Europe is sought through a European state based on the model of great powers. A European centralisation would find itself dealing with bitterness when working towards a difficult long-term reunification. This dynamic is not very compatible with the idea of a European integration based on tolerance among communities and their various integration."

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