A federal Europe of nations III: Our future is national and federal

Mathieu Guihard President of the Breton Party / Strollad Breizh

Europe’s ethnic diversity is an immense strength. Our continent is home to some one hundred peoples, and is the cradle of several major civilisations: Celtic, Greco-Latin, Germanic and Slavic.

This diversity must be preserved and nurtured, for it is a source of creativity and a stimulus to human progress, for example in the artistic and scientific fields.

The whole of European history proves that small groups have been the most fruitful, not large, levelling, centralised empires.

It’s worth noting that miscegenation, if defended as a systemic societal project as it is by French European “federalists” and left-wing sovereigntists (LFI, PCF), and even sometimes right-wing sovereigntists, would be the opposite of this diversity and would lead to the annihilation of European peoples.

The counterpart of the totalitarian nation-state-Europe described in part 2, in short. Yann Fouéré warns us that miscegenation “accelerates the atomisation of man and his uprooting” (in “Europe the 100 flags” p.176).

Let’s be clear: this in no way means that people of mixed race should be vilified – that would be disgraceful. What we’re talking about here is a political project for the global and widespread “métissage” of European societies.

Yes, Europe is unique, remarkable and precious. Its geography is rich, its history fascinating. But it is no longer truly powerful.

The world is moving fast, and Europeans are not, either inside or outside the European Union. The European Union, in particular, is hybrid and unfinished, blocked by the stranglehold of its member nation-states.

Nations are essential in Europe

The expression “federal Europe of nations” is a given.

But why speak of “nations” when we’re talking about a federal Europe? Because the nation is the human framework for the development of a people and the application of a political project at its service.

It is the result of centuries of human history, and is an ethnic and cultural reality essential to the equilibrium of the men and women who make it up.

It’s in our nature as human beings to need a sense of belonging and identity. So, federalist AND nationalist.

In fact, some of the great names of the 20th century were both, from Gandhi to Vaclav Havel, and the same is true of contemporary pan-Africanists.

Conversely, the so-called “Europe of the nations” of French sovereigntists is in reality the Europe of the nation-states of the 19th century, artificial and self-destructive by nature.

Yann Fouéré describes nation-states as “an accident of history” doomed to disappear (p.109). This kind of Europe would lead us straight into World War 3, which Vladimir Putin is currently brandishing as a threat to Europe in his speeches. QED.

Federal Europe is the future

In many countries or “continent-countries” where federalism is already in force, diplomacy and defence are two areas systematically devolved to the federal level.

In the Federal Europe of Nations, this will also be the case.

The other areas can be exercised at local, regional, national or European federal level, depending on the field in question and applying the tried and tested principle of subsidiarity.

Federal organisation will thus radically eliminate the disadvantages of political fragmentation.

A federal Europe of nations will prevent war between European nations, and protect against external aggression. It is the guarantee of lasting prosperity, and the most successful model of democracy and fundamental freedoms.

There will be around a hundred member nations of roughly equivalent size and power, preventing any imperialist temptations.

The Breton people (5 million strong, with a solid economy) are a good example of this standard European size and power.

These nations will have to accept the withdrawal of part of their sovereignty.

France will have to share, even if its old pride suffers…

Progressive federalisation

Over the course of this century, there will be no shortage of projects to drive forward a prosperous and powerful Federal Europe of Nations: European campuses of excellence, a federal police force, a blue ocean pact, the emergence of forward-looking industries… to name but a few.

This federal Europe of the peoples could be built progressively in several “cores” made up of peoples establishing simple partnerships at first, other peoples building an economic union with a single currency and without fiscal or social dumping as at present, and a central core of the most willing and ready nations truly integrated into a federal state.

Of course, there will be a president to represent Europe, alongside the heads of the European states, and a European federal parliament.

This will undoubtedly take place in several stages, the ultimate goal being the reunion of all 100 European nations in a Europe “united in diversity”, to quote the beautiful motto of the European Union.

Of course, the nations of Europe could themselves be organized internally on a federal basis. This is perfectly suited to our country, Brittany, and to our national state of mind.

Let us leave the final word to the poet Robert Mallet: “Good ideas have no age, they only have a future”. If we want it, the 21st century will be the century of the union of the peoples of Europe. War-raok Europa!

Read the first and second parts of this article.