Welcome, federalists and anti-federalists

Robert A. Levine – former high official of the United States Federal Government – wrote in the New York Times of 9 January 1999 an article entitled: “What the EU Needs Is a Copy of ‘The Federalist Papers’”. Levine makes this remark at the start of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). He explains that in the quest for full economic integration, Europe could learn some useful lessons from the United States. This has not happened. Europe began an economic adventure without the support of a proper form of governance. The economic crisis in Europe has made the consequences of that shortcoming clear.

Now, over ten years after Levine’s call the European Federalist Papers are here. A private initiative by three federalists. Bearing in mind the emphasis that Levine puts on ‘lessons’ we write the Papers consistently from best practices.

In 26 Papers we explain why the current operating system of the European Union is no quiet possession, driving the Union into an abyss. Therefore, this intergovernmental system should make way for a federal organization. To convince anti-federalists that this is no super state, we conclude the Papers with a design for a compact federal European Constitution.

We present the Papers one by one, or in small groups, each Friday on the website, thus making it easier to internalize them and give feedback on them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . We will bundle meaningful, substantive responses and place them on this website following the publication of all 26 Papers.

Leo Klinkers, Herbert Tombeur and Fernand Jadoul

December 2012

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