EUROPE DAY, an occasion known only to employees of the European Union, who get the day off, was spoiled this year by an ill wind from the west. Donald Trump’s decision on May 8th, a day before the festivities, to withdraw America from the nuclear deal with Iran cast a shadow over the EU’s proudest foreign-policy achievement and further widened the transatlantic gulf (see article). Rather than belting out Beethoven and settling down to reread the Schuman Declaration, European politicians were forced to spend the day mulling euro-denominated credit lines and the dangers of secondary sanctions.
But there was a small glint of sunshine for Eurocrats amid the gathering clouds. Europe Day was also the occasion for a curious experiment, launched with little fanfare in the form of an online questionnaire for European citizens. This was the fruit of a...Continue reading
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