The EU and the Fragmentation of the Liberal International Order

This chapter explores the impact that the fragmentation of the liberal international order (LIO) is having on the EU's global role. After clarifying the meaning of both LIO and its fragmentation, the chapter traces the influence of this process upon the language used in EU grand-strategizing documents. After that, it distinguishes between three different dimensions in which a fragmenting LIO is leaving its mark: European integration and the narratives that have underpinned it; political conflict and coalitional dynamics; and foreign policy-making. It does so by reviewing bodies of literature that have addressed this issue directly or that have made contributions that are of immediate interest to get a handle on this issue.