Periods of crisis can strip politics back to its most basic forms, and the political reality is laid bare: who, if anyone, has the power to tell other people what to do. While the European Union has a considerable stake in the crisis, particularly in the Eurozone, it is national states which have been the politically primary actors in calling for lockdowns across Europe. Real coercive power still lies, it seems, with Europe’s nations. What repercussions has this reassertion of national political power had on public opinion across Europe? Will it change how Europeans think of themselves and each other? Will it bring us together or push us further apart? And how will the Euro area cope?

Chris Anderson (@soccerquant) is Professor in European Politics & Policy at the European Institute at LSE. 

Simon Glendinning (@lonanglo) is Professor in European Philosophy and Head of the European Institute at LSE.

Waltraud Schelkle is Professor in Political Economy at the European Institute at LSE.

Esra Özyürek (@esragozyurek) is Professor in European Anthropology and Chair in Contemporary Turkish Studies at the European Institute at LSE.

This event is part of LSE's public event series - COVID-19: The Policy Response.

COVID-19 represents an enormous challenge for the social sciences to help governments and non-governmental organisations respond to the economic and societal consequences of the pandemic. Part of LSE's response to this challenge is a series of online public events that will take place over the Summer Term.

Why not visit the School of Public Policy COVID-19 Resource Centre.

This event in the series has been organised by the European Institute.

The next event in this series will take place at 1pm on 10 June on Financial Strains, Health Pressures: Syria, Somalia and the COVID-19 impact.

The LSE European Institute (@LSEEI) is a centre for research and graduate teaching on the processes of integration and fragmentation within Europe. In the most recent national Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) the Institute was ranked first for research in its sector.

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Podcast & Video

A podcast of this event is available to download at Europe in the Time of Coronavirus: responding to the political and economic challenges of COVID-19.

A video of this event is available to watch at Europe in the Time of Coronavirus: responding to the political and economic challenges of COVID-19.

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.