But consensus breaks down on the question of how the E.U. should pursue its global goals. Stamatescu, whose proposal for a professional E.U. army along the lines of the French Foreign Legion was shot down during Bridging Europe's constitutional debate, still believes that "if you don't have a proper army, you can't become a real global player." The authors instead settled for an ill-defined "common European force" drawn from the national armies, a proposal that reflects the same lack of political will that has plagued the E.U.'s real leaders.
"I definitely don't see the E.U. taking the responsibility," says Aps, suggesting that working through international organizations might be the only way forward. Christensen advocates a U.N. army as "a global enforcement system." But again, how well would this recycled idea work, unless it's given more teeth than the missions sent to the Balkans and Rwanda?
Hopeful as they might be about the future, these people are realistic about the impact they have had so far. More than 30,000 decision makers and organizations got copies of the Bridging Europe report and constitution. Bertel Haarder, Denmark's European Affairs Minister, praised the youth "for having found a balance between collaboration in Europe and the independence of states." But nobody's pretending that Giscard is using it as a blueprint for his own constitution, nor have any legislators called the youth for advice. Here's hoping the élites will start listening in Davos. Even if they don't, the young leaders remain patient. We'll have "an impact on the decision makers," s ays Hoefmans, "because that's who we might be."
Jean Monnet, one of the E.U.'s forefathers, was reportedly fond of quoting a Biblical proverb: "Where there is no vision, the people perish." But people cannot live on vision alone; where there's a lack of practical policies, the people don't do so well either. Striking a balance between grand schemes and political realities isn't easy. If these eight up-and-comers can stay grounded, if they can remember all the things about the establishment that have so irked them, maybe they'll pull it off. Maybe they can change things. Maybe they'll show that bright young things can grow up to become great leaders. Let's hope so. Europe needs them.
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