The European Union inconsistency in its external human rights policy in the case of the 2022 Qatar World Cup

Details

Supervisors

Van Ingelgom, Virginie

Faculty

Faculté des sciences économiques, sociales, politiques et de communication

Degree label

Master [120] en études européennes, à finalité spécialisée: gouvernance et sociétés européennes

Abstract

This thesis investigates the European Union's lack of strong and critical stance towards the human rights violations occurring during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. An examination of the EU's external human rights policy through the lens of the three "I"'s (ideas, institutions, and interests) reveals a notable inconsistency. Despite the widely reported severe labor abuses linked to the construction of infrastructure for the World Cup, the EU ultimately failed to adopt a resolute stance on the matter. This inconsistency between the EU's professed values and its actual policies reflects a significant gap in its external human rights policy. This inconsistency is attributed to the EU's complex institutional structure and competing economic interests, particularly its strategic energy partnership with Qatar. The process-tracing methodology reveals how institutional fragmentation and economic priorities undermine a cohesive human rights agenda. The findings suggest that the EU's foreign policy encounters challenges in aligning its principles with its actions, due to internal divisions and external economic pressures.