STRASBOURG – In 2027, high-stakes national elections will be held in nine countries — France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Greece, Finland, Estonia, Slovakia and Slovenia — that together account for over half of the European Union’s population. Although these contests, as well as an indirect federal presidential election in Germany, will hinge on issues such as cost-of-living pressures, immigration, public debt, security and social protections, a more fundamental question will run through them all: Do we Europeans want to remain masters of our own destiny or will we allow the decisions that matter most to be made elsewhere? The urgency of this choice is already apparent.
The Alternative for Germany’s recent victory in Saxony-Anhalt is a warning not only for Germany, but for all of Europe. Controlling our own destiny requires that we can defend ourselves as the United States scales back its commitments to allies. It also means maintaining support for Ukraine; upholding democracy, the rule of law and media pluralism; harnessing AI for the common good; securing our military, scientific, technological, energy and industrial autonomy; and preserving our social and environmental model.
Although the ingredients of European power already exist, they have yet to be melded into an effective compound. We Europeans often discuss defense without defining the sovereignty it should protect. We allude to competitiveness without adequately implementing the solutions already identified to address Europe’s strategic vulnerabilities and without pursuing the policies needed to significantly and structurally raise Europe’s growth potential.
We speak of re-industrialization without deciding how to finance it. And we proclaim the importance of AI without offering a social vision for it.
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