The Mission of Europe and America

The future president of the United States will have to deal with a very different Europe from eight years ago, when George W. Bush came to power: a Europe that has come closer to the States, politically and institutionally, but has grown apart in public opinion.

Eight years ago, The European Union was a poor “union” compared to America. The latter had had, for two centuries, a unique market and a unique currency. Moreover, it had ended its western expansion more than one and a half centuries ago.

Europe had none of these when Bush arrived at the White House. Still, in 2002, Europe gave its citizens a unique currency. Between 2004 and 2007, it completed its “expansion” to the East. It became a global reference point for the economic machinery, perceived as such also by the American multinationals.

At the same time, the years of the Bush presidency meant growing distance between European public opinion and America. Their decisions regarding Iraq strongly divided governments, but united citizens’ opinions across all states – opinions concerning the policies promoted by the Bush administration. According to the polls, in recent years, Europe’s reluctance has translated into clear hostility, not only towards the American president, but towards the whole United States. The financial crisis, of which America is the starting point, isn’t helping much in overcoming these feelings.

John McCain and Barack Obama are well aware of the fact that the US must abandon Bush’s one-sided policies and rebuild an international reputation that matches their tradition. The European Union has to help the future American president to do just that. Now, transatlantic cooperation is utterly needed. In this respect, the last eight years have been wasted – first of all because of Bush’s reluctance to implement comprehensive policies, second, because the European Union has been rather busy building itself, rather than anything else.

Today, America, which has shed its unyielding coat of one-sided policies, along with Europe – now economically mature – have a historical mission: that of coordinating the “construction site” of global government.

Europe is able to bring two major contributions: the know-how that has been proven to be so successful after 50 years’ experience in governing a continental “globalization”, as well as a stable credibility, which is probably superior to the one of the United States.