From Normative to Idiosyncratic – Negotiation and Leadership in the European Union

• Main Authors: Ana Damaschin, Melania-Gabriela Ciot
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Institute of Romania 2020-06-01
• Series: Romanian Journal of European Affairs
• Subjects: negotiation; leadership; decision making process; european foreign policy; idiosyncrasies
• Online Access: http://rjea.ier.gov.ro/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RJEA_vol.20_no.1_June-2020_Article-4.pdf

In the contemporary world, the restructuring of the international system and its effects on European relations is still debated. Today, it is becoming increasingly clear that the international system needs changes; the world order is shaped by major global actors, which are no longer guided by the balance of powers principle, borders’ and governance’s rules. Instead, the psychological factors begin to weigh heavily and become one of the important elements of the basis of the international and European negotiation process. Therefore, the role of leaders could be one of reference in international norms and/ or European arena. The present paper, through its complex content, extensively examines the role of idiosyncrasies in international relations and determines the behaviour of the actors involved in the decision-making process. According to our analysis, we can identify general behavioural patterns and individual decisions that can generate views on the leadership styles and personalities of leaders. It is a contribution to a lesser-known aspect of the field of international relations and European affairs – the role of idiosyncrasies in decision-making process and on European foreign policy, through an essential psychological incursion.