Enlargement and European identity

The renowned German philosopher Jürgen Habermas has complained in a speech about the faltering process of European integration. He points out the following to those who claim there can never be a United States of Europe: "The real question is whether it is possible to extend solidarity among the citizens of Europe beyond the borders of its individual states. The quicker the thick mesh of national culture within the individual states becomes more receptive to citizens with different ethnic or religious backgrounds, the easier it will be to establish a common European identity. Integration is not a one-way street; when it is successful it revitalises strong national cultures in such a way that they become more porous, receptive and sensitive to influences from within and from without at the same time. For example, the more we Germans come to take for granted our coexistence with citizens of Turkish origin, the better we will be able to identify with the position of other European citizens like the winegrowers from Portugal or the plumber from Poland. When closed cultures open up from within they become more receptive to other cultures."

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