[FR] Rules, but above all a vision

In an interview for the Italian magazine Il Mulino, published in French and English by Notre Europe, Jacques Delors shares his vision of Europe today. He analyses the measures taken by political leaders to resolve the financial, economic and political crisis facing Europe. In his view, ‘the rules will show their limitations and cannot replace a clear vision of what we want to achieve together’.

He then calls for a new institutional architecture to be put forward for discussion by the European people. With a view to the 2014 European elections, he suggests that European parties agree on a project for Europe within the framework of a “federation of nation states”.

He also proposes strengthening parliamentary debates at national level so that citizens

feel they have a greater say in the choices made in Europe.

He also believes that today’s ‘greater Europe’ cannot have ambitions as high as those of the 1950s to 1980s, hence the need for differentiation to allow dynamic factors to play a role in areas such as Schengen, the euro and perhaps defence.