The defeat of the proponents rejection of the European Union’s proposed constitution in France and the Netherlands has shocked the European elite, who which seemed to take for granted popular support for building a common European house. Although warnings that ratification could run into problems had been plentiful even before the constitution was signed, the would-be founding fathers brushed off the sceptics. The well-oiled machine of European Europe’s well-oiled bureaucracy still cannot believe that a systemic failure has occurred, one that could jeopardise the very basis of its existence.

Subsequent developments, including the refusal of a number of countries, above all Britain and others to proceed with the ratification process and the show of disunity at the last month’s EU summit, not just on the constitution of European construction but also on the crucial budget and finance issues, suggest that Europe the European project is facing a systemic ­profound crisis. of the integration process. What has happened is not yet a catastrophe, but could become mark the beginning of it one unless an in-depth analysis is undertaken , with and lessons are learnt.and course corrections.