Big Four (Western Europe)

{{Short description|Refers to France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}} {| class="infobox" |- !colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | Big Four |- |colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [[File:France Germany Italy UK in the EU.svg|240px|]] |- | {{Unbulleted list | {{flag|France}}| {{flag|Germany}}| {{flag|Italy}}| {{flag|United Kingdom}} }} |}

The '''Big Four''', also known as the '''E4''' or '''G4''', refers to [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]] and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref> *{{cite web |last1=Mallinder |first1=Lorraine |title=EU's 'big four' speak as one ahead of G7 in Tokyo |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/eus-big-four-speak-as-one-ahead-of-g7-in-tokyo/ |publisher=Politico |date=30 January 2008}} *{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zEcEhgzz-LQC&q=EU4+G20&pg=PA320|title=Routledge Handbook on the European Union and International Institutions: Performance, Policy, Power|last1=Jørgensen|first1=Knud Erik|last2=Laatikainen|first2=Katie Verlin|date=1 January 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415539463}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.oecd.org/std/leading-indicators/oecdcompositeleadingindicatorsreferenceturningpointsandcomponentseries.htm|title=Leading indicators and tendency surveys|publisher=Oecd.org|accessdate=13 October 2014}} *{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HwtfCwAAQBAJ&q=EU4+G20&pg=PA162|title=EU Coordination in International Institutions: Policy and Process in Gx Forums|last=Debaere|first=Peter|date=11 August 2015|publisher=Springer|isbn=9781137517302}} *{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/eu-big-four-in-bailout-row-949701.html|title=EU 'Big Four' in bailout row|author=Lichfield, John|date=3 October 2008|work=The Independent|accessdate=13 October 2014}}</ref> France and the United Kingdom are official [[nuclear-weapon states]] and are [[permanent members of the United Nations Security Council]] with the [[United Nations Security Council veto power|power of veto]], which enables any one of them to prevent the adoption of any "substantive" draft Council resolution, regardless of its level of international support.<ref>[http://www.unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/united-nations/the-un-security-council.html (1)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620101548/http://www.unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/united-nations/the-un-security-council.html |date=20 June 2012 }}</ref> The United Kingdom is the only country of the Big Four which is not a member state of the [[European Union]], having [[Brexit|ended its membership]] in 2020, pursuant to a [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|referendum held in 2016]]. France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom are considered [[regional power|major European powers]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kirchner |first1=Emil J. |last2=Sperling |first2=James |title=Global Security Governance: Competing Perceptions of Security in the Twenty-First Century |date=2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134222223 |page=265 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xVN_AgAAQBAJ&q=Global+Security%3A+Major+European+powers&pg=PA265}}</ref> and they are the [[Western Europe|Western European]] countries individually represented as full members of the [[Group of Seven|G7]] and the [[G20]]. They have been referred to as the "Big Four of Europe" since the [[interwar period]].<ref name=newsgoogle>{{cite web |last1=Hillman, William |title=Big Four of Europe Sign Munich Pact |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19380930&id=N4xAAAAAIBAJ&pg=7004,5155873&hl=it |website=news.google.com |publisher=The Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=International News Service |pages=1–2 |date=30 September 1938 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>

The term G4 was used for the first time when French President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]] called for a meeting in Paris<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/106/article_1773.asp|title=RFI - Rescue of German bank falls through, G4 summit closes|publisher=Rfi.fr|accessdate=13 October 2014}}</ref> with Italian Prime Minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]], British Prime Minister [[Gordon Brown]] and German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] to consider the response to the [[2008 financial crisis]] and the [[Great Recession]]. The [[OECD|Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]] describes them as the "Four Big European Countries".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=2962|title=OECD Glossary of Statistical Terms - Composite leading indicator zones Definition|publisher=Stats.oecd.org|accessdate=13 October 2014|archive-date=31 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031212126/http://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=2962|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Issues == The leaders of the four countries usually have a series of joint [[Telepresence|video conference calls]] with the [[President of the United States|US president]] (see [[NATO Quint]]), or with other leaders, on international issues. With US President [[Barack Obama]], for example, they discussed the [[Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership]], the [[Syrian civil war]] and the use of [[chemical weapons]] during the conflict,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/06/15/world/meast/syria-civil-war/|title=Obama discusses further Syrian intervention with European leaders|author=Martinez, Michael|date=16 June 2013|publisher=CNN|access-date=13 October 2014}}</ref> the [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|Russian annexation of Crimea]] and [[international sanctions]] against Russia,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20140425-713026.html|title=Obama, Europe Leaders to Impose More Russia Sanctions -- Update|author1=McCain-Nelson, Colleen|author2=Meichtry, Stacy|author3=Thomas, Andrea|date=25 April 2014|website=The Wall Street Journal|accessdate=26 December 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530130103/http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20140425-713026.html|archive-date=30 May 2014}}</ref> the [[post-civil war violence in Libya]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.thelocal.it//20140729/renzi-calls-for-ceasefire-as-italians-flee-libya|title=Renzi calls for ceasefire as Italians flee Libya|publisher=M.thelocal.it|accessdate=13 October 2014|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128055643/http://m.thelocal.it/20140729/renzi-calls-for-ceasefire-as-italians-flee-libya|archive-date=28 January 2015}}</ref> the [[Israeli–Palestinian conflict]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/07/28/telefonata-renzi-obama-merkel-cameron-hollande-su-gaza-ucraina-libia/|title=Telefonata Renzi-Obama-Merkel-Cameron-Hollande su Gaza, Ucraina, Libia|work=Europa Quotidiano|accessdate=13 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141019110418/http://www.europaquotidiano.it/2014/07/28/telefonata-renzi-obama-merkel-cameron-hollande-su-gaza-ucraina-libia/|archive-date=19 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> the [[2014 American intervention in Iraq]] and the [[Ebola virus disease]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://m.independent.ie/world-news/ebola/british-pm-cameron-joins-ebola-talks-with-us-president-obama-30666248.html|title=British PM Cameron joins Ebola talks with US President Obama|last=Woodcock|first=Andrew|date=15 October 2014|newspaper=Independent|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref> With Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]], they discussed, for example, the [[Vienna peace talks for Syria]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/04/european-leaders-urge-russia-to-maintain-syria-ceasefire|title=European leaders urge Russia to maintain Syria ceasefire|last1=Stewart|first1=Heather|date=4 March 2016|last2=Wintour|first2=Patrick|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref>

==Statistics== {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="6" | Big Four |- ! Country ! Population !Share of EU population{{ref label|voting|A|A}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Voting calculator - Consilium|url=http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/voting-calculator/|website=www.consilium.europa.eu|publisher=General Secretariat of the Council|accessdate=15 April 2020|language=en}}</ref> !Colspan=2|Contribution to [[Budget of the European Union|EU budget]] (2014-2020) (€ mil)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/budget/library/biblio/documents/2014/Internet%20tables%202000-2014.xls|title=EU budget}}</ref> ![[Member of the European Parliament|MEPs]] |- | {{flagcountry|France}} | 66,616,416 | 14.97% |19,573.6 |27.52% | 79 |- | {{flagcountry|Germany}} | 80,716,000 | 18.54% | 25,815.9 |36.30% | 96 |- | {{flagcountry|Italy}} | 60,782,668 | 13.58% |14,368.2 |20.20% |76 |- | {{nowrap|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom}}}} | 67,791,400 | N/A | 11,341.6 |15.95% | N/A |- | '''Total''' | 272,215,084 | 47.09% | 71,099.3 | 64.24% | 251 |}

{{note label|voting|A|A}}[[Voting in the Council of the European Union|Council of EU voting]], where procedure indicates a qualified majority vote, requires a double majority of at least 55% of EU member states and 65% of EU population to adopt Commission proposals. This increases to 72% of EU member states and 65% of EU population when the proposal originates from a member state.

==History== France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom have been referred to as the "Big Four of Europe" since the [[interwar period]] (1919–1939), when the four countries signed the [[Four-Power Pact]] and the [[Munich Agreement]].<ref name=newsgoogle/> Britain and France, permanent members of the [[League of Nations]]' executive council along with Italy and [[Japan]], were involved in a policy of appeasement towards Germany. [[World War II]] (1939–1945) saw the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France and China fighting against Germany, Italy and Japan. The defeat of the [[Axis powers]] resulted in the formation of the [[United Nations]], where the five victorious countries of the [[Allies of World War II|Allied powers]] were granted a permanent seat in the Security Council. Germany, Italy and Japan experienced a post-war [[economic miracle]] and took part in the [[1st G6 summit]] along with France, the United Kingdom and the United States in 1975.

Since 1945, France and Great Britain have often acted alone in defence policy matters while Germany and Italy have preferred to act within the framework of international organisations. For example, France, Germany, Italy and the UK were the EU countries represented in the [[Vienna peace talks for Syria|Syria peace talks]], but only France and the UK are directly bombing [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIS]] in Syria, while Germany and Italy prefer to give military aid and to send training troops.

[[File:Secretary Kerry Joins President Obama for Meeting With Ukrainian President Poroshenko Before NATO Summit in Wales (15114372976).jpg|thumb|US President [[Barack Obama]] with EU4 leaders [[François Hollande|Hollande]], [[David Cameron|Cameron]], [[Merkel]] and [[Matteo Renzi|Renzi]] during the [[2014 Wales summit]]]]

===Quint=== The Quint (or [[NATO Quint]]) is an informal decision-making group consisting of five [[Power (international relations)|Western powers]]: the United States and the Big Four (France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom).<ref>[https://www.academia.edu/3801512/The_Quint_Acknowledging_the_Existence_of_a_Big-Four_US_Directoire_at_the_Heart_of_the_European_Union_s_Foreign_Policy_Decision-Making_Process The Quint Acknowledging the Existence of a Big Four-US Directoire at the Heart of the European Union]</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-HlbZgdaa94C&q=NATO+Quint&pg=PA323|title=Global Engagement: Cooperation and Security in the 21st Century|last=Nolan|first=Janne|date=1 December 2010|publisher=Brookings Institution Press|isbn=978-0815716723|language=en}}</ref> It operates as a [[Directorial system|"directoire"]] of various entities such as NATO and the G7/G20.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Goldstein |first1=Joshua S. |title=Winning the War on War: The Decline of Armed Conflict Worldwide |date=2011 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=9781101549087 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xCDMdmercisC&q=The+Quint+%28the+five+most+powerful+NATO+members%29&pg=PT188}}</ref>

===Brexit=== A [[Brexit referendum|European Union membership referendum]] took place on Thursday 23 June 2016 in the UK and resulted in an overall vote to leave the EU, by 51.9%. The [[British government]] triggered [[Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union]] to begin the process to leave the EU, which concluded on 31 January 2020. The G4 now consists of the UK and the new [[EU three|EU big three]] (Germany, France and Italy), the large [[Inner Six|founding members of the European Communities]] that have retaken a leading role in Europe following [[Brexit referendum|the decision of the UK to leave the EU]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://euobserver.com/political/134076|title=EU divided on answer to Brexit 'wake up call'|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/brexit-eu-referendum-meet-the-divided-committee-to-save-europe/|title=Meet the (divided) committee to save Europe|date=27 June 2016|newspaper=POLITICO|language=en-US|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-28/brexit-germany-france-italy-vow-no-informal-talks/7548940|title=Brexit: Germany, France, Italy vow no talks before Britain makes formal decision on EU - Brexit: UK EU Referendum|publisher=ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|website=mobile.abc.net.au|date=27 June 2016|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref>

==Current government leaders== <gallery class="center" widths="150"> File:Emmanuel Macron - June 2025 (3x4 cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|FRA}} '''[[France]]''' [[Emmanuel Macron]], [[President of France|President]] File:2025-02-23 Bundestagswahl – Wahlabend CDU by Sandro Halank–070.jpg|{{flagicon|GER}} '''[[Germany]]''' [[Friedrich Merz]], [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] File:Giorgia Meloni Official 2024 (cropped).jpg|{{flagicon|Italy}} '''[[Italy]]''' [[Giorgia Meloni]], [[Prime Minister of Italy|Prime Minister]] File:Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer election infobox.jpg|{{flagicon|UK}} '''[[United Kingdom]]''' [[Keir Starmer]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] </gallery>

==See also== {{Portal|European Union}} * [[Big Four (Eurovision)]] *[[EU three]] *[[European Group of Five]] *[[France–Italy relations]] *[[France–Germany relations]] *[[France–United Kingdom relations]] *[[Germany–Italy relations]] *[[Germany–United Kingdom relations]] *[[Italy–United Kingdom relations]] *[[Inner Six]] *[[Great power]] *[[G7]] *[[Group of Nine]]

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

[[Category:Politics of the European Union]] [[Category:Quartets]] [[Category:Multilateral relations of France]] [[Category:Multilateral relations of Germany]] [[Category:Multilateral relations of Italy]] [[Category:Multilateral relations of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:France–Germany relations]] [[Category:France–Italy relations]] [[Category:France–United Kingdom relations]] [[Category:Germany–Italy relations]] [[Category:Germany–United Kingdom relations]] [[Category:Italy–United Kingdom relations]] [[Category:Bottom-up regional groups within the European Union]]