It's time for a United States of Europe

Boston Globe

21 hours ago

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But history wasn't done with him. In 2030, Russia invaded Estonia, a former Soviet republic in northeastern Europe. It was Ukraine all over again. Estonia was a NATO member, but the United States, still led by the Republican Party's isolationist right wing, refused to intervene. Europe was on its own.
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In those dark years, Macron emerged as Europe's moral and military leader. His cause: the creation of a single European nation — a United States of Europe.
In 2035, seven European countries — France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Poland — merged and established the European Federation. Macron was elected its first president.
Now, a decade later, Macron is finishing his second term. Under his leadership, the Federation has expanded to more than 20 countries. It has repelled the Russian threat. And it has grown into a global superpower to rival America and China.
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Not just make-believe
The idea of a United States of Europe might sound like a fantasy, but it is a serious proposition whose time has come. Threatened by Vladimir Putin on its eastern flank and abandoned by Donald Trump's America, Europe must evolve or fall apart. As the new German chancellor, Friedrich Merz,
The best way to do that will be to form a European federation. A federation would unite Europe far more extensively than the European Union does — it would bind countries into a truly unified system of government like what exists in the United States. And it's the only way the continent can guarantee its security, protect its democratic values, and secure its influence in the 21st century and beyond.
The current EU is a constitutional Frankenstein: a byzantine economic and political union whose power is split between the
That's not all. There's also a
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Oh, and 20 EU countries
Confused? You're not alone.
Everything would be simpler with a European federation. The historian Brendan Simms, who leads Cambridge University's
Think of how the United Kingdom or the United States works: There is one central government, with devolved governments at the regional or state levels. As Simms outlines in his book '
A federal Europe isn't a new idea. It became a real possibility after World War II. In 1951, six countries — including France, West Germany, and Italy — formed a
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At the end of the Cold War, Europe had another chance to become a federation with the advent of the EU in 1993. The German chancellor, Helmut Kohl,
But Kohl's warning fell on deaf ears. Pundits predicted that the EU would soon rival the United States as the apex of liberal civilization. Books appeared with grand titles like '
They were all wildly mistaken. First there was the 2008 financial crash, then the eurozone debt crisis, the 2015 migration wave, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine. Political power mattered more than ever.
But under pressure, the EU has started to show some teeth. Take Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The EU has given
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In recent years, the EU has also
Macron deserves much of the credit for Europe's awakening, despite France's historic resistance to a unified Europe. 'Only Europe can guarantee genuine sovereignty or our ability to exist in today's world to defend our values and interests,' he said
At the height of the pandemic, Macron spearheaded the creation of an
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But Europe must unite more closely still. The circumstances demand it. It's become obvious that Russia
At the same time, Europe's longstanding ally, America, is stepping back. Trump no longer wants the United States to underwrite the continent's security. Instead, he seems hellbent on going over the heads of Europeans
Europe must strike out on its own
Fortunately, both Macron and Merz seem to understand that Europe must now chart its own path.
The United States of Europe would be a force to be reckoned with — thanks to a
Europe should also become a federation to better rein in multinational corporations and build an economy that works for the many. The continent has a unique socioeconomic model: social democracy. But only if countries pool their resources will Europeans be able to preserve their cherished welfare states and long summer holidays.
What's more, the two great challenges of the 21st century — climate change and artificial intelligence — will require sustained collective action. Again, only a federation can deliver that.
There's only one way forward — and now is the time
'A United States of Europe isn't some utopian dream, it's a necessary evolution,' says Daniela Vancic of the
History is also on the side of a European federation. 'Federations are established when there's an external threat,' says Matt Qvortrup, a senior research fellow at Australian National University's
This was the case with the United States. After declaring independence in 1776, the states were
But, even in a crisis, a European superstate won't magically appear. It has to be willed into existence. The political landscape across Europe isn't helping. The EU is divided between pro-European parties and Euro-skeptic nationalist parties. The pro-European faction must do more than simply defend against nationalist attacks; it must start advocating for a federation outright. Otherwise, it risks being seen as apologists for the EU's bureaucracy. The choice shouldn't be between the EU as it is now and nationalism. It should be between deeper integration and nationalism.
If pro-Europeans don't offer that choice, nationalists will prevail. Far from pursuing a United States of Europe, some countries could even slam the door on the status quo: the EU. After all, Brexit showed that leaving the bloc is possible.
But failure is not inevitable. Public opinion across Europe is complicated — and more pro-European — than it might seem. Voters may be frustrated with the EU, but they are not opposed to a unified Europe. To the contrary. According to
Yet Europeans won't clamor for a federation if leaders fail to champion it. More than anyone else, that responsibility falls to Macron. Rumor has it he
It will require all of his political courage. As a wise man