The secession of regions, the political and social instability in and the tendency towards decomposition of many European Union Member States, pose some systemic risks to the sustainability of the European integration. As fruit of the double process of transferring power to the European Union and to the regions a number of naked Member States is appearing. European integration implies also a disintegration of states, represented by the tendency of some European regions to secede.
These dynamics underline the virtues of multilevel governance and the convenience of affirming the rule of law and the values, rights and advantages peculiar to contemporary Europe. Given their capacities to limit interventionism and nationalism, multilevel governance and the European Union are anchors for political and economic freedom, for democracy, competition, and welfare. This is especially certain for the new small independent states, for which the benefits of Europe are large. The more unstable and risk-fraught the countries/regions are, the greater its need for Europe.
Keywords: Multilevel Governance, European Union, Integration, Federalism, Secession, Systemic Risk, Political Instability, Government Relations.
JEL F15, H77, R59, P25.
