The Perceived Legitimacy of the EU in the Middle East and North Africa

The perceptions of the EU in third countries affect their willingness to accept EU initiatives. The EU wants to be perceived as an ‘ethical power’, whereas it in reality is criticized for being inconsistent, and accused of using double standards in its foreign policies, as well as for politicizing humanitarian action. Moreover, the externalization of migration management to non-EU countries, and doubts concerning compliance with international refugee law and human rights raise legitimacy concerns concerning the EU.
In this article, we investigate the legitimacy of the EU in MENA countries, as perceived by EU Ambassadors. These perceptions are contextualized through an analysis of previous research on EU external legitimacy. From interviews with EU Ambassadors to MENA countries, we identify four interlinked categories of concerns potentially affecting the legitimacy of the Union; historical legacy, knowledge about and expectations towards the Union, competing values and aims, and the EU’s internal policy inconsistencies.