The unexpected re-election of Donald Trump has presented the European Union with both a challenge and an prospect. To navigate the evolving international landscape, the EU must develop a clear and decisive internal and foreign policy.

The EU’s decision-making processes are often slow and cumbersome, hindering its ability to respond effectively to contemporary challenges. Unanimity requirements on critical issues and the dominance of the Council, whose political composition shifts frequently, contribute to this inefficiency. The Parliament, often fragmented along national lines, struggles to exert meaningful influence.

Trump’s Impact on the EU

While the focus is often on the perceived shortcomings of Donald trump, the real issue lies in the internal contradictions within the EU. Simply criticizing Trump’s actions is insufficient to address the long-standing problems facing Europe.

Rather, the EU must undertake a fundamental reassessment of its structures and policies to play a leading role on the global stage. The erosion of American hegemony, coupled with the rise of China and Russia, is reshaping the international order, challenging the foundations established after 1945.

“Europe grows on the crises and is forged with the answers it operates to try to overcome them.”

Institutional Deficiencies

The European Union is grappling with significant crises without an adequate institutional framework. It lacks the characteristics of a fully-fledged federal union, hindering its ability to respond effectively to challenges in foreign and defense policy. The conflicts in Ukraine and palestine have highlighted these deficiencies.

Figures like Kaja Kallas have not strengthened Brussels’ external authority, while initiatives like the REARM program (renamed readin 2030) are undermined by a lack of systemic vision.The Parliament struggles to make its voice heard, and the European Democrats have been too lenient in renewing trust in the President of the commission.

The vision of a unified “third force,” as imagined by Altiero Spinelli, remains distant. National interests are too deeply entrenched, and a leadership capable of transcending 20th-century paradigms is lacking. While the reactivation of the franco-German axis offers some hope, immediate action is needed to establish a common federal defense, a European seat at the United Nations, truly European political parties, and fundamental institutional reforms.

Without these reforms, the EU risks losing relevance amidst rising nationalist sentiments.These sentiments are also resurfacing in internal policy and economics, hindering the EU’s ability to address challenges such as US tariffs and competition from Chinese products.

Despite these challenges, the economy and the euro remain strengths of a united Europe, along with its commitment to rights. However,the EU’s credibility is at risk.Founded on the principles of peace and cooperation, Europe faces threats from both internal forces (such as Viktor Orbán, Giorgia Meloni, and Marine Le Pen) and external actors.

External Pressures

russia and the United States of America, along with China, are actively undermining the EU’s role as a champion of democracy. Despite this, many oppressed peoples around the world still look to Europe as a beacon of hope.

However, widespread support alone is not enough. The EU needs strong political leadership, innovative ideas, and dedicated individuals to guide it through these turbulent times. Without deep reforms, the EU will continue to struggle, irrespective of Donald Trump’s actions, which merely expose the bloc’s underlying weaknesses in foreign, fiscal, industrial, and defense policy.

Drawing on the wisdom of Jean Monnet,Europe must learn from its crises and develop effective solutions to overcome them. While Donald Trump poses a significant threat to the European Union, the EU’s ability to withstand this challenge depends entirely on its willingness to act decisively and pursue a federalist agenda.