Secession from and secession within the European Union: Toward a holistic theory of secession

Abstract After presenting some convergent tendencies and eclectic approaches to moral theories of secession in light of some practical applications of these theories, the article outlines the constitutional landscape on the regulation of secession and analyzes the legal right to withdraw from the European Union, arguing that this right to secede from the Union helps to justify a right to secede from EU member states. Through the exploration of several arguments that may distinguish between these rights of exit, the article contends that their regulation and qualification should not be substantially different from one another. Taking a holistic approach, the article defends a qualified right to secede from the European Union as a whole and from its individual member states.