The leader of the German SPD party, Martin Schulz, wants to turn the European Union into the so-called "United States of Europe" with a common constitution.
The initiative differs little from the idea of a "Multi-speed Europe" that has been recently voiced by French President Emmanuel Macron in his speech at the Sorbonne, Vladimir Ardaev wrote for RIA Novosti.
According to the political observer, the initiative contributes to a standoff within the EU, as it literally divides the bloc's members into "first" and "second" class.
"The desire to unite the ‘the EU's core,' consisting only of those ready for a closer integration of the countries, didn't come out of thin air. Disagreements in the European community have lately been increasing with the main division line passing along the borders of the Eastern European and Central European states. These states, that joined the European Union after the dissolution of the socialist bloc, differ from the Western ‘veterans' not only in their development, but also in their stance on very important issues," Ardaev wrote.
Stumbling Block: Migration Crisis
The countries, in particular, took a stance opposite to that of Brussels when Europe was struggling to cope with the heavy influx of refugees and migrants. The standoff over refugee quotas resulted in a legal battle, with the European Commission appealing to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and filing a lawsuit against Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
The court ruled that the relocation law was a "proportionate" method to deal with the heavy migration inflow. The countries, however, stalled on accepting asylum seekers, fueling further division within the European Union.
National States — "Outdated"
The "United States of Europe" initiative came amid a new round of grand coalition talks with Angela Merkel that are hoped to put an end to the political deadlock in the country.
The transformation is supposed to take place by 2025.
In his recent speech, the SPD leader stated that the concept of a national state has become outdated. In the times of globalization, such problems as climate change, migration and others can only be resolved by a consolidated, single European super-state, SPD leader Martin Schulz said on Thursday at a SPD party congress in Berlin.
EU members that disagree with the new constitution would have to leave the EU automatically, he concluded.
The views and opinions expressed by Vladimir Ardaev are those of the analyst and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
