There are enthusiastic Europeans who would rather see the nation state consigned to the dustbin of history sooner rather than later. The threat from East and West is currently giving rise to more and more such zealots. However, the nation state is far from obsolete. And in all likelihood, it will not come to that. This is because in every federalist state (should the EU become one ...), the units that form it – i.e. the member states – remain intact. And that is a good thing! Because the nation state contributes significantly to the identity of many people. It is where democracy takes place. And it performs the tasks for which the European level is not necessary or (from today's perspective) not suitable.
With the introduction of “shotgun” tariffs, US economic policy once again took a radical turn. As the boomer generation might report, the US has already turned the economic tide at least twice before (in its own interest or in the belief of doing so): The first time was when it abandoned the Bretton Woods system in 1971, and the second time with the introduction of ‘Reaganomics’ from 1981/82 onwards. The Europeans (like everyone else in the world) had to cope with the subsequent shocks. Surprise: the common European currency was also created to weather these economic storms. The euro is an important step for Europeans to free themselves from American dominance. Further steps towards liberation must follow, for example a savings and investment union.
In his article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on 14 March, Herfried Münkler argues for Europe's independence. Those who still cling to the dream of a united West must wake up quickly. In particular, German politics has made a fool of itself because ‘it has repeatedly backed the American horse’. The French proposals to Europeanise the armed forces and arms production to a greater extent have been rejected several times. Münkler's advice to German politicians: to hold Europe together, to ensure that it becomes a politically capable actor and to establish a European high command for the national armed forces. This should be made possible by ties of varying strength, with more extensive duties going hand in hand with greater rights. – INCLUDING BONUS MATERIAL!
What is the most important thing in life? Trust! And that is also the most important thing in politics and economics. After the latest antics of its president, US politics can no longer be trusted. We have never been able to trust the autocrats in Russia and China. So the EU is now becoming a beacon of democracy and the rule of law in which people around the world can place their trust. Europe's finest hour is now.
Inevitably, the Europeans are making noticeable progress in matters of common security and defence. This is something that many citizens have wanted for decades. However, naive illusions about the state of the world have prevented this, as have national inertia. Sad but true: ‘master strategist’ Putin and the political will-o'-the-wisp Trump are unintentionally but significantly helping to accelerate this development.