Is the EU drifting right and being cut adrift?

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Henry Kissinger is said to have quipped, “Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?” Apocryphal or not, the late statesman’s question gets at a very important question: What exactly is the political entity of Europe, and can it ever deliver a singular voice if it were to pick up Washington’s call?

That’s the subject of a piece today by Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager of Colorado State University. On the back of soon-to-be German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s victory speech, during which he indicated a willingness to take a leading role in the European Union and pursue real independence from the U.S., examining whether Europe can be a strong, united bloc is an important endeavor in a fast-changing geopolitical landscape.

The challenges are obvious. The EU faces threats from the East in the shape of Vladimir Putin’s Russia and from the West in the shape of a Trump administration that seems willing to freeze it out. But perhaps the greatest hurdles to unity are within – electoral gains from hard- and far-right parties rub up against some of the ideals of Europeanists.

Khrebtan-Hörhager concludes that given such problems, it is fair to tweak Kissinger’s question to “Is there even a Europe to call?” And if there is, would Washington even bother picking up the phone?

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Matt Williams

Senior International Editor

Could Friedrich Merz be the man to speak for Europe? Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Is a united European voice possible in the age of Trump, Putin and far-right politics? Germany’s new leader intends to find out

Julia Khrebtan-Hörhager, Colorado State University

Friedrich Merz, the expected next chancellor of Germany, has said his priority is to 'strengthen Europe' and 'achieve independence from the USA.”

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