Deutschland als Hegemon in der Eurozone? Der „bestimmende Einfluss“ der deutschen ordoliberalen Ideologie

Abstract

Since the outbreak of the Euro crisis, there has been a renewed interest by scholars in Germany’s role and power within the European Union (EU). In this broader debate the concept of a German hegemony came to the fore. A full analysis on whether Germany is the EU hegemon is beyond the grasp of a single article. Instead, this text focuses on one of the dimensions of hegemony – ideational power – within a key policy area of the EU where, arguably, German power has been felt more strongly: the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The article argues that German ideational power and its embeddedness within the EMU had a “bestimmender Einfluss” on the outcomes of the Euro crisis, meaning there is a case to be made for a German hegemonic role in the EMU.