How will Europe get into gear?

The USA's loss of power in the wake of the Iraq war debacle is clear to Michael Prüller. The question is, who will succeed the United States as leading superpower? Prüller fears that only Russia and China are realistic candidates - not Europe. The EU is "administratively overtaxed following the rushed accession of Romania and Bulgaria, and, what is much worse, it has no concept of its own values, tasks and goals. Gripped in a deep identity crisis, the leaders of 'united' Europe tack back and forth between snobbery and tired populism. The days of strong visions for the future being developed in dialogue with the people are over. Yet they are desperately needed today. But in a continent that counts Angela Merkel among its most prominent statesmen, we can't expect much world-political leadership."

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