Tusk´s "United we stand, divided we fall" letter

President Tusk has sent a letter to the 27 EU heads of state of government on the future of the EU before the Malta summit 3 February. Here he uses a phrase attributed to the ancient Greek storyteller Aesop - "United we stand, divided we fall" - to emphasize that "more Europe" is the only way forward. He says that despite problems, the European integration has been a success for nearly 60 years. To day, with a more multipolar world and in competition with several continent states, Europe´s only way to avoid internal strife and be competitive is to integrate further.

Tusk is right, separated each of the European countries will be weaker than the continent states. And internal strife will undoubtedly blossom. So it is very important that the European cooperation continues.

But Tusk is also wrong.The integration has caused much trouble and discontent and there is a need for radical changes. It is very strange that he does not argue for another  medicine. The EU member states are different, and will in many cases be best served by formulating their own policies. But they will often do better by cooperation - sometimes even supranational. Perhaps the pressure to get rid of "An ever closer union" is still not big enough, but the EU is unlikely to survive if it does not happen.