ROME (Realist English). The European Union is facing existential threats that call into question its very existence. In an article for Foreign Affairs, columnist and former editor‑in‑chief of La Repubblica, Maurizio Molinari, argues that the only way out for Europe is to complete the integration project and act as a single state. The key is to combine the reformist ideas of former Italian Prime Minister and former ECB President Mario Draghi with German leadership.
External Threats: A World Crumbling Before Our Eyes
Europe is facing unprecedented pressure from multiple sides. In December 2025, Pentagon officials told European diplomats that the continent must take over leadership of NATO by 2027, effectively signalling the possible end of the transatlantic alliance. Washington launched a war with Iran without serious consultations with its allies, sparking a global energy crisis and calling into question the reliability of the US as a partner.
Donald Trump, according to Molinari, has become the “main source of upheaval”: his threats to take over Greenland, tariffs, support for European far‑right parties and dismissive attitude toward Kyiv have undermined trust between Washington and Brussels. At the same time, Russia is building up its military potential, Chinese troops have conducted exercises in Belarus, and Beijing is indirectly supporting Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.
Internal Threat: Populism on the Rise
The internal enemy is no less dangerous. Populist nationalism, fuelled by economic instability and immigration, threatens if not to dismantle the European integration project, then to seriously weaken it. In France, long an anchor of the EU, five prime ministers have come and gone in two years, and the far‑right National Rally is leading confidently in the polls.
In Germany, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is catching up with or even overtaking the CDU, and for the first time since World War II, the far right may lay claim to the chancellorship.
In Italy, despite the relative stability of Giorgia Meloni’s government, 2027 will bring serious challenges from both right‑wing populists and left‑wing forces.
In the UK, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party is gaining strength and could lead to an even greater rift with the EU.
Draghi’s Plan: Italian Ideas for Europe’s Future
In his 2024 report, Mario Draghi proposed an ambitious reform programme aimed at turning Europe into a “genuine federation.” His plan includes four key areas:
- Economic reforms to boost competitiveness and growth.
- Investment in artificial intelligence to stimulate innovation.
- Energy policy reform to enhance energy security and lower prices.
- Changes in security policy and arms procurement to create a common defence.
Draghi also calls for abandoning the principle of unanimity in EU decision‑making, proposing a shift to majority voting, especially on defence matters. He advocates a single energy market, joint gas purchases, investment in cross‑border electricity grids and the issuance of common eurobonds. In defence, Draghi criticises fragmentation: EU countries are supplying ten different types of howitzers to Ukraine, creating chaos on the battlefield.
Germany Must Take the Lead
Molinari argues that only Germany has enough influence to advance Draghi’s reforms. Chancellor Friedrich Merz understands that the only effective antidote to populism is credible economic reforms that boost growth and competitiveness. He has already shown a willingness to act: he visited Lithuania in May 2025, promised to send troops to Greenland after Trump’s threats, signed a pact with Meloni and took part in an informal EU summit on competitiveness.
Merz could begin by calling on the EU to abandon the unanimity requirement in decision‑making, which would immediately accelerate Europe’s ability to act as one. Germany can also help coordinate defence procurement, joint research and industrial consolidation.
A Marriage of Italian Ideas and German Strength
The war in Iran has confirmed the urgency of implementing Draghi’s plan. The conflict exposed Europe’s vulnerability: EU members struggled to send ships to protect their partners in the Persian Gulf. However, the war also showed that ad hoc coalitions could serve as a model for common defence.
“If the merger of Draghi’s reform agenda and Merz’s bold leadership succeeds, Europe will not fall victim to a geopolitical collusion between the US, Russia and China, or to illiberal populism within its borders,” Molinari writes. “Instead, it will prove that it can be a protagonist, not a victim, in shaping the new international security order.”
By combining Italian ideas with German strength, Europe can become a capable political actor and keep pace with the accelerating course of history.
