European states gave rise to one of the most important cultural and socio-political movements in Western civilization with the Enlightenment of the 18th century. From Sapere Aude’s call to “have the courage to use your own mind,” the idea arose in Europe that values, ideals, and rights such as human dignity and human rights, freedom and self-determination, and independence are universal in nature. This continues to shape the Western, and especially European, worldview and self-image to this day.

But it is under external and internal pressure now. An external factor is Russia’s questioning of the European security order. The Russian Federation is working together with China on a new, in their words, “polycentric” world order.

Internal pressure, on the other hand, comes from fundamentalist Islamic groups in Europe, as well as ideologies such as postmodern deconstructionists who contribute to the discrediting of the European way of life.

Conservatives often blame the European Union for these problems. Some are calling for a return to the European model of nation states. In my view, this would be wrong. The nation states in Europe can no longer solve global and domestic challenges on their own.

In the current situation, I see a federally organized Europe as a solution. This does not mean the formation of a European superstate, but rather a federation modeled on Switzerland.

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