Dalla meta-ideologia neoliberale al neo-statalismo post-pandemico? Quali prospettive per l’Unione Europea?

This paper analyzes the process of transformation of the economic policy paradigm in the European Union along the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Starting by arguing that neoliberal hegemony marked the era of globalization and influenced public policies, institutions and democracy, I investigate the transformations of this paradigm in the time of Covid-19. Actually, neoliberal paradigm seems to be going through a backlash phase in which the return of state intervention in the economy has progressively gained new spaces for action. European institutions and Member States deployed a broad plan of financial interventions to help productive sectors and suspended the Stability and Growth Pact. Beyond the impromptu and exceptional nature of the intervention measures, it is necessary to investigate future prospects that this new orientation poses, especially because this economic profile change is already part of the transformation framework of the capitalism accumulation process. So, at first I identify the characteristics of the paradigm shift that, during the pandemic crisis, characterized the response of European politics in the direction of massive state interventionism. Then, I focus on the critical issues that emerge, in the future, on this new “neo-statist” orientation. Finally, I try to understand whether this paradigm shift will favour a European welfare state construction – beyond ruling technocratic trends at EU and Member State level.