File photo. [AP]
A growing number of Europeans feel that they can no longer count on alignment with the United States and want the European Union to be more independent. Donald Trump’s second presidency is strengthening this trend, as the percentage of citizens who believe the EU should chart its own course has grown to 73% (in March), from 63% in September 2024, according to a survey commissioned by the Bertelsmann Foundation. The report, which was made public Thursday, found that the percentage of Europeans who don’t see the United States as a trustworthy partner has reached 58%, from 54% last September, while those who consider America Europe’s most important ally are now at 31%, from 51% in 2024. At the same time, those who see Britain and Canada as the EU’s “most important ally” have almost doubled (from 13% to 24%, and from 7% to 13%, respectively). Also, some 71% believe that the EU should play a stronger global role. But are the Europeans prepared to do what needs to be done to achieve what they claim to desire?
For the EU to attain the political weight that would reflect its economic and cultural riches, it cannot continue to act as a “green village” with big power pretensions. To compete with the United States, China and Russia, to be respected by all other countries, it must evolve into a federation with strong central powers. Its economy, defense and executive branch should be able to mobilize all the resources and dynamism of its 27 member-states (plus Britain and Canada). Its leadership needs to have the legitimacy and credibility to stand as an equal next to the leaders of other powers.
Are the citizens of member-states prepared to hand over so much economic and political sovereignty? The referendums that 21 years ago rejected the idea of a “European Constitution” show how difficult the issue is, especially today when in many countries anti-European forces are growing in strength. Or are there enough people who now understand that without a powerful EU their country, too, will be doomed to being the satellite of some other power?