The European Union in the United Nations: Unraveling the Dynamics of Cohesion in a Changing Political Landscape

This thesis examines the dynamics of cohesion in the European Union and its member states within the United Nations and how these dynamics have changed in relation to historical, institutional, and political developments. The study aims to shed light on the factors that affect the EU's capacity to act cohesively in UN mechanisms such as the Security Council and General Assembly and the ability to overcome external and internal challenges. This thesis begins by examining the EU's early interactions with the UN and its participation in multilateral diplomacy, starting from its establishment while it was still the European Community. It examines the EU's participation in the UN framed by institutional mechanisms such as the European Cooperation System, Common Security and Foreign Policy, and the observer status it has gained, while also touching on the development processes of these mechanisms. The process from the observer status of the EU in 1974 to its advanced observer status with the Lisbon Treaty and the reforms in institutional mechanisms in this process are examined. In addition, the extent to which the diplomatic mechanisms established to ensure and increase cooperation and the flow of information among member states contribute to the coherence of the EU is evaluated. The following sections of the thesis examine the voting behavior of member states by a qualitative examination within the UN, using the 2004 enlargement as the focus of analysis. The study sheds light on the challenges posed by a larger membership capacity and the impact of these challenges on the EU’s coherence within the UN and its foreign policy. Human rights and peace and security policy areas have been selected to better and more thoroughly examine the EU's consistency over the years. The study attempts to understand to what extent the cooperation established through case studies and diplomatic tools reflects the EU's position as a global actor. This thesis consists of three main parts, each providing insights into different dimensions of the EU's coherence within the UN. This study aims to provide a historical perspective on the evolution of the EU's coherence within the UN.