A day of Europe which looks like the eye of the storm. A few hours of suspended time to take stock of the progress made in recent years and project ourselves into the future, while Ursula Von der Leyen’s Commission is slowly approaching the time of the balance sheet. And this one is rather honourable: joint economic recovery plan, group purchase of anti-Covid vaccines, Green Pact for the muscular climate, multifaceted support for Ukraine, particularly in the field of defence.
Few observers would have bet on Europe’s ability to adapt and rise to the expected and unforeseen challenges that have befallen it since 2019. “Europe has shielded us from crises,” writes Emmanuel Macron in his long message published on social networks, on the occasion of the anniversary of the Schuman declaration of May 9, 1950.
Dizzying questions
It’s true, in the storms, the 27s have shown themselves to be agile. And yet, all this already seems far away. The pace is constantly accelerating, new existential questions are piling up: what place for the European Union in this new world dominated by the showdown between China and the United States? How to reduce economic, energy and strategic dependencies? What reforms to function in a Europe that could one day expand to more than thirty members, including Ukraine? What security architecture on the continent, if the war ends?
Something to make you dizzy. “We need a geopolitical European Union, enlarged, reformed and open to the world”, argued German Chancellor Olaf Scholz before the European Parliament. A good roadmap. But how to achieve it? Are Europeans equipped for this?
family feuds
Thus, the recent blocking of Ukrainian grain imports by Poland and other Eastern European countries gave a taste of the difficulties to come in the agricultural field in the event of Kyiv’s accession to the EU. At the same time, Paris and Rome are fighting harder on migration issues. For their part, Paris and Berlin are struggling to find common ground on which to build compromises and are openly arguing over energy issues.
Hungary always plays its solo score. Eastern Europe contests the strategic autonomy desired by France, betting instead on a revitalized partnership with the United States. And all this, while the Europhobic parties sharpen their arguments and bet on the European elections of spring 2024 to gain power and impose their agendas… In short, the 27 are far from having resolved their (many) family quarrels, while should change gears. And think about the future together.