The United States of Europe: 50 intellectuals call for strategic sovereignty
Over 50 prominent political figures and intellectuals have co-signed a "Declaration of Independence" for the European Union, urging the bloc to end its reliance on the United States.
The manifesto, published in major outlets like Le Monde and El Pais, calls for a consolidated budget, a common defense, and a fully integrated single market.
The signatories argue that concessions made to the Trump administration have failed to reduce American hostility, instead increasing Europe's strategic vulnerability. They demand the activation of Article 42 of the EU Treaty to establish a unified military framework.
A divide between East and West
The list of supporters includes heavyweights like Jacques Attali and former WTO chief Pascal Lamy. While Western European leaders dominate the list, Eastern Europe is represented by only four figures, including former Romanian PM Petre Roman and philosopher Slavoj Žižek.
This distribution highlights a lingering political rift. While the founding "Inner Six" nations push for deeper federal integration, many Eastern states remain tethered to nationalistic or isolationist tendencies that critics describe as obsolete in today's fractured geopolitical landscape.
The long road to a federal Europe
This movement echoes a 2013 manifesto by Daniel Cohn-Bendit and Guy Verhofstadt, which first proposed a "post-national Europe." They warned that without a federal government, no single European country would remain globally relevant within 25 years.
Economic integration continues despite political friction. By January 1, 2026, when Bulgaria adopts the common currency, 21 of the 27 EU member states will be part of the Eurozone.
Lessons from the past
The manifesto suggests the European Commission should evolve into a genuine government overseen by a bicameral Parliament. This "United States of Europe" model is presented as the only way to avoid the systemic irrelevance facing fragmented nation-states.
A notable footnote to this federalist push: a previous version of the manifesto was distributed for free in Greece during its debt crisis. At the time, the book retail price was €8, intended as a symbolic gesture to the birthplace of European democracy.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
