Originally published on the CGS blog on June 12, 2009.
“The European Union is the world’s first and only multinational democracy. This is nothing short of remarkable,” proclaimed the EU ambassador to America, John Bruton. Mr. Bruton, along with a diverse panel of scholars, met at the Brookings Institution on June 11, 2009 to offer their predictions on the future of the EU in the wake of the recent parliamentary elections and economic crisis.
The verdict was grim; but there was a definite sign of hope. Most of the panelists agreed that Europe will emerge from the recession a stronger, more united continent for their efforts. However, it will be a long, hard road to reach that end.
Chief among the panel’s concerns was the lack of a sense of unity among Europe’s public. Europeans still identify themselves according to their respective national origins rather than thinking of themselves as a united people. Because of this, there is little desire for the continent to integrate further. This attitude has exacerbated Europe’s economic problems, as the more affluent European nations are less willing to help the poorer states of the union. This is a problem that according to Mr. Bruton, will not be resolved until the nations of the EU stop thinking in terms of “us and them,” and start thinking in terms of “we.”
It was proposed that in order to fix this problem, Europeans should be allowed to vote for the President of the EU, and that the public must be educated on how continent-wide issues such as drug trafficking and economic matters effect them on a local level. The hope is that this may encourage people to take a larger interest in EU political matters and lead towards a collective European identity. The panelists acknowledged that given the centuries of history where Europeans have remained divided by national boundaries, this task is far easier said than done.
