Morning Briefing Plus: The New Land of the Free? The Miraculous Triumph of the Ailing EU

Handelsblatt Morning Briefing Plus: The New Land of the Free? The Miraculous Triumph of the Ailing EU Koch, Moritz • 1 hour • 5 minutes reading time Just written off as a case for restructuring, Europe is suddenly seen as the last bastion of freedom. Brussels' predictability is the counter to the arbitrariness of Washington. Dear readers, Welcome to our look at the most important topics of the week. Let's begin today with a thought that goes back a little further. At the beginning of January, an essay appeared in the US magazine "Foreign Affairs" describing the "strange triumph of a broken America." In it, US political scientist Michael Beckley attempted to explore the "paradox of American power": How can a country deeply ideologically divided and marked by great political discontent be so economically successful? One hundred days later, America's strange triumph has turned into a disturbing disaster. Since President Donald Trump unleashed a global trade war, the US economy, which once seemed indestructible, has been lurching toward recession. Today, one would have to write a new essay – one about the miraculous triumph of a struggling Europe. Just a moment ago, the EU was written off as an amusement park and industrial museum, and suddenly it's seen as the last bastion of liberal values, and Europe is emerging as the new land of the free. The task now is to explore the "paradox of European power": How can a state structure experiencing a dramatic loss of economic competitiveness be so politically attractive? Friedrich Merz, Germany's future Chancellor, proclaims "the hour of the European Union" in the Handelsblatt. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlines the European dream in the "Die Zeit" newspaper – in sharp contrast to the USA: "We have no bros and no oligarchs." Indeed, Europe has strengths that have been overlooked in recent years, marked by the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, migration burdens, and fears of deindustrialization. A good life, in freedom and security: Even before Trump's return to power, most European countries fulfilled this promise to their citizens better than the US. Europeans live longer and are healthier. Emergency surgery in Europe is not a risk of poverty. Metal detectors are located at airports, not in front of school buildings. Amid the general sense of crisis, a new enthusiasm for Europe is emerging. In a Eurobarometer survey conducted in March, 74 percent of Europeans surveyed said their country benefits from EU membership. This number has never been higher. And after Trump's declaration of trade war on April 2, the supposed "Liberation Day," the numbers are likely to have risen even further. The EU stands for everything Trump questions—free trade, peacefulness, and adherence to the law—and thus inevitably becomes the antithesis of the new America. No wonder Trump branded the EU an "adversary." Brussels' predictability is the counter to Washington's arbitrariness. But just as America could not permanently withstand the tension between political decline and economic dynamism, Europe too is in danger of failing due to its contradictions. A weak economy cannot sustain a strong political community. Europe needs a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, more free trade agreements, and fewer reporting requirements. If the EU wants to inherit America as the land of the free, it must begin by freeing the European economy from its shackles. I wish you a happy Easter weekend. Best regards, Moritz Koch