Abstract

The challenges of expansion and constitutionalism were, without a doubt, too difficult for the European Union. The former ran the risk of being used by neo-liberalism in the existing disparities between eastern and western Europeans. Regarding the text that was submitted for ratification, it failed to create a sense of constitutional patriotism. In the future, it is urgent to question the possible forms and purposes of integration, and finally give up the false federalist evidence. Through a very large debate, the people must re-adapt themselves to the questions that make up the present arguments. This debate will organize itself around the most concrete questions, much less global than those suggested by the constitutional text.

Jean-Marc Ferry, Philosopher, is a Professor at the Université libre of Brussels, and Researcher at the CNRS. He also taught at the College d’Europe in Bruges. He is, among other things, the Author of La Question de l’État européen (Paris, Gallimard, 2000) and L’Europe, l’Amérique et monde (Nantes, Éditions Pleins feux, 2004).