In an a-political Europe, the great game of national interests has opened up. Without antagonisms, in such a delicate period that calls for unity at national and continental level, we ask ourselves: is the pursuit of national interest a bad thing?
While Germany (according to many figures, in obvious difficulty) puts 200 billions on the table to protect itself, should the other countries stand by and merely conjure up a Europe that does not exist? If this were not tragic, it would be truly ridiculous.
Let’s understand each other. As convinced pro-Europeans, federalists since time immemorial, we support the need for Europe as a strategic player in international relations. It is a pity that old Kissinger’s question has not yet been answered: what number to dial to call Europe ?
That said, the current situation calls for creativity. Either Europe succeeds in giving a meaningful response, very quickly, to the crisis that is gripping the member states, or Europe itself risks losing credibility. We all applauded Europe in the pandemic but today, in the face of the energy crisis, we see unacceptable vetoes. Those who gain, or those who are afraid of losing a well-established position of privilege, do not feel the reasons for solidarity.
Pursuing the national interest is necessary and urgent. What should be done, to be not only realistic but visionary, is to link this interest to the theme of rethinking the ‘open society’: in this sense, ‘looking in’ could not be declined as ‘sovereign egoism’ but as a choice of immunisation to safeguard economies and societies. In the hope of an awakening of Europe, ‘unum et multiplex’ not only in words.
