The European Union Is All Process, No Substance
To see why the EU struggles to solve any major problem, look no further than a year-long conference to be launched this week.
Spot the European leader.
Photographer: JOHN THYS/AFP John Thys/AFP via Getty Images
One of the most devastating quotes about the European Union is a rhetorical question Henry Kissinger allegedly asked when he was U.S. Secretary of State: “Who do I call when I want to speak to Europe?” There are too many possible answers for the bloc to be credible, he implied. How awkward that the EU has ever since kept adding more.
By one count, the EU now has 10 “presidents,” possibly 11, depending on how you classify its various institutions. That’s not including the 27 leaders of the member states — except whichever of them is currently holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.