Wake up, Europe

It's time for a debate on what ails the European Union of 27 democracies and prevents it from being a superpower

Mehru Jaffer Vienna

This was no ordinary performance that attracted audiences to Vienna's prestigious City Theatre. The hundreds who queued up on a blustery Sunday morning at the former imperial court theatre from the 19th century, came to make a little more sense of their uncertain future in the midst of today's dramatically disorderly world.

The large theatre with over one thousand seats, 81 standing places and room for 12 wheelchairs and escorts, was nearly full. The applause was thunderous as Joschka Fischer, Germany's former foreign minister and vice chancellor; George Soros, American investor; Karel Scwarzenberg, the Czech Republic's foreign minister, and Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, took to the stage. The occasion was a public debate. The topic: The World Disorder and Role of Europe.

Understandably, every mention of the American president's name that morning was followed by loud, nervous laughter from the audience. “This Bush is a joke — but a dangerous one,” said a spectator sitting close to this writer. By choosing the military option, the American president has destabilised the Middle East and increased the nuclear threat to world security.

According to Soros, any kind of military action against Iran today would be counterproductive. It would neither help end Iran's nuclear ambitions nor mitigate religious extremism in the Middle East. He hoped that a change of leadership in both America and Iran would provide a new opportunity for the two countries to understand each other better.

The Hungarian-born Soros suggested a future freeze on all nuclear activity and new laws that will look afresh at nuclear non-proliferation. It worried Soros that America and Iran were both prepared to precipitate war. He was greatly relieved when the American military establishment vetoed the White House plan to attack Iran.

The debate was intelligently moderated by Alexandra Foederl-Schmid, editor-in-chief, der Standard, Austria's liberal daily. The two hour discussion saw concerns expressed over the European Union (EU) project. Many questions hung in the air: Has the EU reached its end? Is further EU enlargement antagonistic to deeper integration? Should the global community of democracies assume greater responsibility for fixing the world's problems? How can the Islamic world's democratic deficit be closed? Is an independent EU defence capability compatible with NATO? Can European civilian and military capabilities be deployed with greater effectiveness in the world's conflict zones?

“This is only one reason why I think Europe is so great. Not one person would have turned up on a Sunday morning for a serious topic like this in America,” said Slaughter. The international relations expert could not get over the fact that without surrendering their national sovereignty, 27 countries are part of the EU — by choice. The only problem, according to Slaughter, is that the EU does not realise it must continue to be a model and leader in the 21st century.

Slaughter's views of Europe were dismissed quickly by Fischer as being too naïve and idealistic. Her response was to be more cautious. That is the optimistic view of Europe from the outside but within the EU there are causes for pessimism, said Fischer who is voted as one of the most popular politicians in Europe today. Fischer is most respected for having resurrected Germany's Green Party and for being a politician with a vision. Fischer said EU member states are divided and defiant and often unable to understand what is in the interest of each member nation and the continent as a whole.