ISBN : 9782296074866
WILL INDIVIDUAL ATTACHMENTS AMONGST EU CITIZENS TURN THEM INTO EUROPEANS
Annabelle Littoz-Monnet
Through a closer examination of Habermas's constitutional patriotism model, the
article disentangles the relationship between EU institutional developments, the possible
unfolding of a European public sphere - conceived by Habermas as the only source of
legitimacy for binding decisions, and as a necessary prerequisite for the development of a
civic sense of belonging to the EU by European citizens - and the affective ('horizontal')
relations amongst Europeans. Several dynamics are brought to light. First comes through
clearly that at the core of Habermas's conception of supranational citizenship lies the
unfolding of horizontal relations amongst Europeans - necessary to the functioning of the
European public sphere which is central to Habermas's model. However, if it is via the
development of a vertical attachment - itself fostered by European policies aimed at the
creation of a European identity - that affective relations amongst citizens can also develop,
the way horizontal forms of integration amongst indivi