Martin Schulz, the leader of Germany’s Social Democratic party has recently sketched out red lines for talks to form another coalition government with Angela Merkel.
In a speech at the SPD’s party conference in Berlin that called for the creation of a “United States of Europe” by 2025, as well as a more robust social security net and a phasing out of coal power.
He also warned that “the continent cannot afford four more years of German European policy a la Schäuble”, referring to the austerity measures of the country’s conservative former finance minister.
Schulz told delegates that he wanted EU member states to sign off on a “constitutional treaty” that committed the bloc to take steps towards a federal Europe – a proposal likely to be met with some resistance from Merkel and other EU leaders.
“Such a constitutional treaty has to be written by a convention that includes civil society and the people. This constitutional treaty will then have to be put to the member states and those that don’t approve it will automatically have to leave the EU,” Schulz said. (The Guardian)
He is the first top European politician to call recently and openly for a "United States of Europe" in a bid to enter a government. Until now, only the French President Emmanuel Macron, has mentioned his support for "more Europe," or further EU integration, yet he did not put it as boldly.
It is evident that there is an increasing interest among the European elites, but also from a large number of citizens, to federalize the continent. Recently in a poll in Euronews, 56% of the people participating said that they support Schulz and a Federal Europe. (Euronews).
And it appears to be inevitable. America shows signs of fatigue and is in an identity crisis of its own. With Donald Trump as their President, their foreign policy has become erratic and provocative, threatening the peace and balance in the rest of the world.
Not only he boldly went on and threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea, leaving the globe biting its nails over the next action of the two hot-headed leaders, but he deemed the USA, the only nation not to sign the Paris Agreement.
While every nation, even the war-torn Syria is on-board in this crucial global effort to save the planet, Trump had other ideas in his mind.
Recently, he once again caused an outrage, by recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Causing, of course, a backlash in the Arab world and beyond. He forgets that he is not just any public figure at the moment, seeking attention with his tweets or controversial statements, he is the leader of a country and he represents it.
Until now, America was considered the leading nation of the "free world," of the West and all democracies on the planet. But under Trump, America's leadership shows a fatigue and lack of direction. Instead of leading the world to a new era, he attempts to drag us all backwards.
It is now that Europe must affirm itself and show leadership, promoting its own interests and vision for a different, better world. Not to compete or go against America, the two must remain close partners.
But the world is, in fact, becoming more multipolar. Many former developing nations are now challenging not just America's, but all the "First World's" hegemony and rightly so. The so-called "BRICS" nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), are gradually amounting to more growth in the globe, than many of the developed nations.
And it is a good thing too. For too long one or two hostile superpowers have dragged the rest of the world to the direction they wanted, often a catastrophic one. We should be very concerned when one nation, in this case the USA, can take control of the whole planet and impose their bad choices of a president or certain policies, to the rest of us.
With a stronger and united Europe, but also firmer and assertive BRICS, plus the rise of more players and blocks around the globe, we can finally have a balance and a more equal distribution of wealth.
We should not fear it, it is what humanity needs to eradicate poverty, inequality and take the next step forward and tackle our biggest challenges united, cooperating with each other. As things are at the moment, our planet is too divided to solve its problems, like climate change, the prevention of many diseases, natural disasters, the extinction of many species and so on.
We need everyone on board, active, equal and willing to share their resources. When we have too many underdeveloped countries, humanity can not progress to its next phase. It is holding us back, as we keep dealing with problems like hunger, mass immigration and poverty.
Thus, Europe has to rise to these challenges and play a key role in their solution. This is what we Europeans must aspire to, it has to become our destiny. Things won't get better unless we mobilize ourselves and become beacons that others will want to aspire to.
We must show leadership and promote our interests to the rest of the world, as each country on its own, is too small to raise its voice to bigger, emerging players. If Europe becomes a pioneer in solving humanity's challenges, not only we will secure prosperity and stability for our descendants, but another thing to be proud of being Europeans.