The future of European citizenship

Abstract

The basic formula of European citizenship, as a supplement but not a replacement for national citizenship, is under pressure. Last year’s Brexit campaign was driven by opposition to one of the most cherished rights EU citizenship provides: the free movement of people. This same free movement has created a new kind of undemocratic inequality, as mobile populations access more opportunities than those who stay at home, and draw primarily on their rights as national citizens. Moreover, as a bundle of rights without duties, EU citizenship has weakened citizens’ engagement outside their own member states. As Europe considers its post-Brexit identity, is a ‘patchwork Union’ of differentiated integration the future for EU citizenship?