Five years of economic crisis put in questions the old single ideals behind the EU architecture
by Emanuele Bonini
Europe in a picture. French farmers asking to be helped before other peoples is perhaps the best representation of a change of mind which should be seen with concern. The common ideals of solidarity, union of peoples, single market are over. Or, in case they are not over yet, they are at stake. The economic crisis is hitting hardly everywhere, and every single government has to deal with a recovery which is mild and very slow. National interests are today the first priority in each national public opinion. Lithuanians first, Hungarians first, French first. Once the member States of the EU had in common the single project, today, on the contrary, they share single national priorities. Watching French people asking the French president to think about France before Greece can be understood, of course, but must bring to ask what about the common values. Officials in Brussels said recently the main problem is that Member States don't take into account the EU recommendations any longer. It happened with migration, it happened with Greece. Basically the so-called "central power" has lost power, with Member States who are acting in isolated manner. «United in diversity», the traditional motto of the European Union, today has been changed in «Me first». The main EU institution - the European Commission - is not considered any longer, and it has been replaced by a little group of States leading the political agenda. A very dangerous manner, since a confederation of State - what the EU is today - can work only if all the different States are united and have a common will. So, or the European Union turns the page and gets a federal organization through a huge political process or the confederation risks to collapse.
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| "Hollande, save your citizens before saving the Greeks" |
Europe in a picture. French farmers asking to be helped before other peoples is perhaps the best representation of a change of mind which should be seen with concern. The common ideals of solidarity, union of peoples, single market are over. Or, in case they are not over yet, they are at stake. The economic crisis is hitting hardly everywhere, and every single government has to deal with a recovery which is mild and very slow. National interests are today the first priority in each national public opinion. Lithuanians first, Hungarians first, French first. Once the member States of the EU had in common the single project, today, on the contrary, they share single national priorities. Watching French people asking the French president to think about France before Greece can be understood, of course, but must bring to ask what about the common values. Officials in Brussels said recently the main problem is that Member States don't take into account the EU recommendations any longer. It happened with migration, it happened with Greece. Basically the so-called "central power" has lost power, with Member States who are acting in isolated manner. «United in diversity», the traditional motto of the European Union, today has been changed in «Me first». The main EU institution - the European Commission - is not considered any longer, and it has been replaced by a little group of States leading the political agenda. A very dangerous manner, since a confederation of State - what the EU is today - can work only if all the different States are united and have a common will. So, or the European Union turns the page and gets a federal organization through a huge political process or the confederation risks to collapse.
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