The New Emperor's ring

Each time something big and scary happens in the world, we hear the mantra “this will finally be the wake up call for Europe. Europe always advances in times of crisis”. It is wishful thinking. Two wars on our doorstep, climate disasters, a pandemic, one Trump term, not even the prospect of a second term of an unchained and vindictive Trump, seems to be enough to jolt Europe into action. While national government leaders mutter something about “European autonomy”, they are mostly tumbling over each other to kiss the ring of the new emperor. European leaders desperately try to appease him, bringing him incense and myrrh offerings to buy his favour and hoping to avoid his wrath. Europe is stuck in a toxic relationship, unable to leave.

For anyone still harbouring hope that President Trump would be more moderate than candidate Trump, his government picks make it crystal clear that such hope is in vain. Europe should drop the illusion that we can appeal to reason or moral considerations. He is driven exclusively by his own interest and power play. Trump has zero interest in doing Europe any favours because of the “special relationship”. Unfortunately for us, he has a number of powerful likeminded friends and allies in unfriendly countries. Europe is increasingly on its own.

Europeans realise it full well, and political leaders pay lip service to a stronger Europe. But in reality we just put the alarm clock on repeat, hit the snooze button, and go back to our dream world, hoping for some miracle that will make the bad dream go away. It is high time Europe grows up.

It is rather cheap to talk about the need for change and then carry on as usual. A few meagre policy initiatives or grand statements will not make Europe strong and autonomous.The old intergovernmental cooperation between governments is wholly unsuitable to make Europe a geopolitical giant and economic powerhouse. Europe has to become a different creature.

As the famous quote from the novel “Il Gattopardo” goes: if you want everything to stay the same, everything has to change. Adapt or perish. It is between change, or slow agony, as Draghi said. But the old world is frantically resisting change.

Only national politicians can decide on change, but they are also the ones who have every interest in keeping the status quo. They believe they can have their cake and eat it: keep their current position unchanged, and have a strong Europe at the same time. And they have convinced many citizens that their fate depends entirely on national politicians being in charge. They have rather successfully fanned nationalism as the - misguided - answer to the global challenges of today. Nationalism isn’t about the citizens, but about national politicians self-interest.

The fate of Europe lies in the hands of the very people who have zero interest in making Europe stronger. On top of that, at least half of the twenty-seven government leaders in the European Council are weak leaders, lame ducks, autocrats, corrupted or downright crooks, all serving the national electoral agenda rather than the European interest. National government leaders are also dominating the Commission and the Parliament, as we have witnessed this past week as national leaders were loudly interfering in the parliamentary confirmation hearings of the Commissioners. (And just as Europe desperately needs a strong and united political centre, the EPP thought now is a great time for some petty power play and blowing up the centrist alliance). “Europe of nation states” sounds nice to some, but in reality it leaves Europe completely at the mercy of Trump, Putin and others.

We urgently need EU institutions and leadership that are dedicated exclusively to the common interest of European citizens. Will we hit the snooze button again and kiss the Emperor’s ring? Or will we get up, speak up, and build a better, stronger, prouder Europe?