The European Union is big with about 500 million inhabitants – much bigger than the US – many of its members are economically weak, several of the national prime ministers don’t seem to like each other and have national ambitions as well.
The European Commission has a president, the European Council also has a president and there is a foreign minister in there as well.
No common foreign policy is visible, but the foreign minister is trying hard to make one.
There is movement towards a common fiscal regime with regulation of banks and other financial institutions, and other common procedures are in place: services, agriculture etc – lots of directives.
As a side comment the British Commonwealth is visibly crumbling – reducing British influence in the world. And the US is becoming less influential as China and other are growing and expanding: Eveything is in a state of flux. So where is the EU really going?
Outwardly it is no unit at all. But it has to be if it wants to be a serious part of developments – in the world. Could it crumble or will politicians unite and become serious about what they say: The EU as a serious contender on the world stage, balancing China, the US, emerging Africa, India et al.?
Maybe we will see order out of the present chaos. How long will it take and will it be too late?
