The European Union, which has long been in political stagnation, is now experiencing a period of acceleration in the face of recent geopolitical upheavals. The war in Ukraine, the health crisis and transatlantic uncertainties have prompted Member States to cooperate more closely, particularly in the areas of security and defence. This dynamic is based on the founding principle of concrete solidarity between nations. This text, signed by Jean-Dominique Giuliani, is the preface to the Schuman Report on Europe, the state of the Union in 2025, to be published on 3 June by Hémisphères.

Germany must position itself in a rapidly changing Europe. The European ambitions expressed by the government of new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, particularly on foreign policy issues, the ongoing quest for Franco-German compromises and the desire to involve other Member States in the development of the European Union, signal a new turning point for the country as it seeks to return to the forefront of European politics by combining its national interests with its European ambitions.

The European Union–United Kingdom summit on 19 May 2025 paves the way for renewed cooperation, particularly in defence and security, trade, with progress on the carbon market and agricultural product controls at borders. It represents a moment of clarification of bilateral ambitions after years of post-Brexit tensions. However, the UK's red lines and Brussels' reluctance to renegotiate existing agreements limit the room for manoeuvre, suggesting that targeted progress is possible but that a new chapter is being written.

On 9 May, France and Poland signed a friendship treaty in Nancy, while Warsaw holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union and plays a central role on the European stage, particularly due to its proximity to Ukraine, which has been at war since February 2022. In an interview, Ernest Wyciszkiewicz analyses Poland's current strategic position within the European Union, looks back at the evolution of transatlantic relations since the election of Donald Trump, and highlights the renewed importance of the Weimar Triangle in advancing defence and security issues in Europe.

Democracy as a political system has a long intellectual and institutional history, characterised by profound differences of interpretation and therefore of form, as to what is meant by 'power of the people'. A fundamental pillar of the European Union, democracy is under attack in many countries that have long since adopted it. While support for democracy has never been stronger, as evidenced by the latest Eurobarometer, it is incumbent upon the European community to consolidate the objectives of its international action in favour of democracy in order to (re)become a reservoir and laboratory for democratic experimentation.

Agenda

Europe: acceleration

The new German government: a European turning point?

The European Union–United Kingdom summit on 19 May 2025: a milestone in the long road to Brexit

"We need to find the 'coalition of the willing' capable of overcoming current differences."

The European Union and national sovereignty: a new democratic challenge?