Europe speaks many languages but the language of global power is not of of them. More than a simple political weakness, this constitutes historical negligence, writes Professor George Pagoulatos, Director General of ELIAMEP in his article for the Sunday edition of the newspaper Kathimerini. Pagoulatos points out that the first steps of the new Commission under Ursula von der Leyen have not been the most successful, although its new President has set an impressive and ambitious set of goals. Von der Leyen wants to lead a “geopolitical” European Commission, in contrast to Jean Claude Juncker’s merely “political” one. Pagoulatos highlights how the new Commission has faced major crises from day one, such as Trump’s abandonment of the Kurds in Syria, the Turkish invasion of Syria, the Libyan civil war and, notoriously, Iran. Throughout it all, its reaction has ranged from sluggish to non-existent. Pagoulatos explains that in the absence of a wider European consensus, E3 (Britain, France, Germany) and other such formations have been taking over, attempting to somehow preserve the image of a functioning European polity.

You may find the whole article, in English, here.