Exchanging blows over Europe's future

In the wake of the Irish rejection of the Treaty of Lisbon, German philosopher Jürgen Habermas expressed his views on the background of the vote in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. European Commissioner Günter Verheugen then criticised Habermas, who was quick to respond in turn. The Frankfürter Allgemeine Zeitung is delighted with this public exchange of blows. "It is no small thing when the topic of Europe ... manages to make such a battle-hardened political philosopher like Habermas livid with rage. Once again, Habermas is not focusing on any individual area of politics, but ... on the European ethos and the political role of the public sphere. ... His claim runs: Europe does not deserve to suffocate in the intricacies of its own political system. Rather, we owe it to Europe to accord it the freedom of thought. If we are going to talk about Europe at all, then please, let us do it like this! So obsessed, so personally driven and so belligerently! ... Habermas beats his adversary Verheugen about the ears with his own political rhetoric. ... Habermas does not praise the Irish veto, but neither does he condemn it. He takes it as an occasion to renew his plea for a two-speed Europe, the so-called gradual integration. ... One can agree with this or not. [But] aided recall such as this seems indispensable to prevent Europe from silting up in technocratic palaver."

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