The EU as a federation

In the liberal-left weekly Magyar Narancs political scientist Anna Unger sees the future of the EU in a federalist structure: "In the past eight years political integration in the EU has come to a standstill. The last major reform was carried out under the auspices of the 'Treaty of Nice' (2000). Apparently the current system for decision-making within the EU is unable to provide adequate responses to global problems, and this only fuels Euro-pessimism. European integration has reached its limits under the current system. In its present form it cannot progress any further. ... The system of EU institutions is appallingly complex and lacking in transparency, and EU citizens are quite right to reject it. ... The time has come to make a great leap forwards. The current political UFO should be transformed into a genuine federation. ... German or US federalism could serve as a model: it must be clear which powers lie with the federal government and which belong to the states. .... It is indispensable that we create a federalist system if we want a competitive EU. .... Europe's citizens have rejected both the so-called 'constitutional treaty' and the 'Treaty of Lisbon. Why should they say yes to a federal Europe? Because there is no alternative."

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