Why Moving towards a Strong Decentralized Federal State Would Be Beneficial for the European Union
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Key Messages
- Russia’s attack on Ukraine has revealed the need to reassess Europe’s security
- Currently, the European Union is a politically fragmented and divided union of member states, economically underperforming, with a defense capability that is insufficient without the support of the USA
- The European Union should develop towards a stronger decentralized federation, but by restoring the principle of subsidiarity
- When it comes to sharing political power, the Swiss model is more suitable for the European Union than the US model
Abstract
Few politicians dare to think aloud about federal models for the European Union. Even as a concept, the federal state is problematic. The perception of an unwieldy organization arises when the goal is a light consensus federation, where the Commission’s power is limited and the member states have more power to run their own affairs. In the European Parliament elections, each state still has its own electoral district. Some member states are divided into several constituencies. There is no need for EU-wide elections at the parliamentary level, nor EU-wide parties.
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Citation
Vesa Kanniainen: “Why Moving towards a Strong Decentralized Federal State Would Be Beneficial for the European Union,” EconPol Forum 25 (1), CESifo, Munich, 2024.