Europe blames Trump, Putin, China and CO₂ for its economic troubles. Yet its problems run deeper. Since the oil shocks of the 1970s, Europe has struggled to secure affordable energy for its industries. Instead of developing a coherent industrial vision, Brussels presents net zero and the Green Deal as engines of prosperity, even as manufacturers confront high costs and fierce competition. Slow decision-making, institutional complacency and weak accountability make course corrections difficult. Meanwhile, lobbying, revolving doors and corruption risks raise uncomfortable questions about whose interests shape policy. Blaming outsiders cannot replace industrial strategy. Europe needs affordable energy, productive investment and institutions willing to admit mistakes before demanding sacrifices.
Europe needs a credible plan to address its problems. But before we can find solutions, we must identify and name their underlying causes. After all, how can we solve a problem if we refuse to acknowledge what caused it?
In my opinion, one of the most serious threats to Europe’s future is the potential capture of EU institutions by foreign interests, criminal networks and powerful corporate lobbies. I fear that their influence has become so deeply entrenched that meaningful reform may no longer be possible from within the institutions themselves.
