European federalism is one of the most controversial terms in EU politics. For many it is a good thing, the opportunity for Europe to unite and strengthen itself, allowing for us to once again establish a strong place in the world. On the other hand, many are skeptical or outright oppose it on the grounds that it will create a "European superstate" that will impede on individual cultures and nationalities. Europe is facing many problems today that could easily be countered by federalism/unification. Count Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi published his manifesto Paneuropa in 1923, and noted that Pan-Europeanism is the only way that Europe can remain truly independent of the USA, Russia and China. Of course, Europe hasn't unified and now we've became more and more reliant on and subservient to those three countries. Our relationship with America before was fine, but the dangerous isolationist rhetoric of President Trump is seeping into the mainstream, and we don't know how reliant we can be on the United States for much longer. In addition, the migration crisis has shown the weakness of Europe's security apparatus, and the ineffective leadership shown by the EU and EU countries has emboldened eurosceptics. Every single issue of note that comes up in the EU doesn't just cause damage, it absolutely paralyzes the institution.
EU constitutional development has left the EU in a mess. It isn't a federation, or even a confederation. It's a weird hybrid between a political & economic union and federal ideas. This system means that member states can just pick and choose what they want do and skirt about their responsibilities. The EU is supposed to be about mutual cooperation for the common good, but that's just an image it projects while the reality is member-states are selfish and unwilling to go the extra mile. This is where federalism comes in.
In the interests of promoting European civilization, Europe must unite into a single political entity. This entity would promote our treasured values of constitutional government, democracy, and property rights, and uphold our common heritages. This Pan-European state, henceforth referred to simply as "Europe", would provide in my opinion the best opportunity for Europe to move forward in the modern day. It would solve our constitutional issues and increase our prestige and influence on the world stage. We are a continent of free peoples surrounded by tyrannical dictators, and with the USA in decline, the world looks to us to provide the global leadership that the United States once did.
With all this mind I ask the question to all of you: do you agree with me?
Is it time for Europe to federalize?
Will federalism solve the issues the continent faces?
