Europe Must Choose Between Power and Dependence: A Call for Democratic Sovereignty
This piece argues that Europe faces a decisive choice: remain dependent on others for security, technology, and political direction, or build the capacity to act as a democratic power in its own right. The first essay calls for stronger European coordination on defense, energy, research, AI, industrial policy, and media, while stressing that this should not erase national diversity but pool capabilities where scale matters. The second essay says the United States is abandoning its postwar role as Europe’s security guarantor, exposing how American power has always been driven by interests as much as values. Together, the texts frame Europe’s future as a choice between passivity and shared sovereignty.
Europe’s central political choice
The first text says the 2027 elections across several major EU countries will be shaped by deeper questions of sovereignty, interdependence, and Europe’s ability to make its own decisions. It argues that Europeans must decide whether they want to remain masters of their destiny or leave key decisions to forces outside Europe.
Building Europe as a democratic power
The authors call for the EU to become a ‘democratic superpower’ that can defend itself, support Ukraine, protect democracy, and secure autonomy in defense, energy, technology, and industry. They argue that Europe already has the ingredients of power, but needs coherence, financing, and common capabilities to turn them into effective action.
Cooperation without erasing national sovereignty
The first essay rejects the idea that stronger Europe means a superstate. Instead, it favors shared European capabilities in areas such as defense, semiconductors, cloud computing, data, AI, and investment, while preserving subsidiarity and decision-making at the national or local level when that is most legitimate.
U.S. retreat and the end of easy transatlantic assumptions
The second text says Washington is no longer acting as Europe’s reliable protector and is increasingly viewing Europe as a problem rather than an ally. It presents Donald Trump’s rhetoric as a sign that U.S. policy is becoming more openly interest-driven and less willing to maintain the postwar European order.
A critique of Pax Americana
The article traces how the United States used the language of democracy and values while pursuing strategic, economic, and military interests. It argues that Europe benefited from this system for decades, but that the model is now collapsing as U.S. priorities shift toward rivalry with China.
Why Europe must act now
Both texts conclude that Europe cannot rely on nostalgia for the old transatlantic order. Instead, it must organize itself politically, economically, and technologically so it can act together, preserve democratic freedoms, and reduce dependence on external powers.
Key takeaways
- Europe’s future is framed as a choice between dependency and shared power.
- The EU is urged to build common capabilities in defense, energy, AI, and industry.
- The texts argue that U.S. support can no longer be assumed as the foundation of European security.
- European sovereignty is presented as democratic, cooperative, and compatible with national diversity.
- Media, elections, and public debate are seen as essential to making Europe’s interdependence visible.
Source: “EUROPE MUST CHOOSE” by Slavoj Žižek on Substack (https://slavoj.substack.com/p/europe-must-choose), published 2026-09-23. Summary based only on the provided source text. Read the original post on Substack.