Dear Co-Europeans,

I believe that posing the question like this is a bit frivolous. We cannot decide whether a President is needed or not if we do not decide on the form we wish Europe to have in the future. If we wish Europe to be a conglomeration of member states whose sole objective is to share a common currency and a common market, then a president would not be of any consequence.

I envisage Europe in a different way. In my view Europe should evolve into a robust and effective country which will play an important part in world affairs.

How can this be implemented though? Well, there are two important prerequisites, which cannot be compromised: Europe should have first a uniform foreign policy and second it should organise a common defence policy. It should have an army and should be in a position to defend its territories and interests. Besides, it should have a say in world affairs and it should be a pole of power which should establish an equilibrium between the East (namely Asia with China and probably Russia) and the U.S.A. I say "probably" for Russia because I believe that Russia, or part of it, should accede to the European Union in the long run.

Another prerequisite for the new country should be a common language which will be the instrument of the integration of the various peoples into an inseparable whole. Europeans should at least become bilingual if not multilingual. The common language should be the tissue which will safeguard the coherence of the new country; however, national characteristics should be preserved for the sake of cultural richness and diversity, which will be another strength of the EU.

If such a form is achieved for our common home, that is if we have our common foreign and defence policy and unifying language then there should be a central authority, but with substantial powers. However, authority should not be centralised; on the contrary there should be safety valves which will safeguard the democratic character of the new state and will offer no opportunities for authoritarian government. Under this light then yes there should be a President, but this president should be a kind of moderator and a guardian of the democratic political system. The sharing of authority among President, Prime Minister and European and National Parliaments should be intertwined in such a fashion that the democratic rights are not infringed let alone forfeited, but simultaneously the new Country is able to function smoothly without any hindrance in the execution of government decisions.

As you see, the matter is not whether the Union should have a president, which I believe he will be a condition "sine qua non", but what authorities he will be endowed with.

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In which case would a President of Europe be unnecessary according to the author?

According to the author, Which pre-requisites would be necessary to make Europe a robust and effective country?

Does having a single language imply losing the national identities according to the author?

What authority should the President be endowed with according to the author?

Write 100 words on the following question: What in your opinion will be the future of Europe?