Analysis, Contributions, Social Media and Debates
Here the publications and interventions made by actors of our federalist movement around the Hungarian elections:
France
Read here three articles written by Charles Nonne, spokesperson of the French section of the UEF, political analyst and former press correspondent for Le Courrier des Balkans, and published in French newspapers La Croix, La Tribune and Le Taurillon:
Read the articles in French here:
La Croix, entitled "Hongrie : "La défaite d'Orban serait un moment aussi historique de la rupture du rideau de fer"" : LINK HERE
La Tribune, entitled "OPINION. « Législatives en Hongrie : l’heure de vérité pour la démocratie européenne »" : LINK HERE
Le Taurillon, entitled "Les élections hongroises de 2026 sont l'heure de vérité pour la démocratie en Europe" : LINK HERE
Italy
Watch here the intervention of UEF EB Member and MFE Secretary-General Roberto Castaldi in the Italian Program Omnibus/La7:
Watch HERE
Read here the Newsletter of the Movimento Europeo Italia dedicated to the elections in Hungary:
Read HERE
Germany
Read here the statement of Europa Union Deutschland by Andrea Wechsler (MEP, President of EUD) and Gabriele Bischoff (MEP, Vice-President of EUD):
Read HERE
Joint events UEF Sections
Watch here the online Event of MFE and UEF Hungary conducted in view of the elections in Hungary:
Watch HERE
Watch here the online Event of UEF France and UEF Hungary conducted in view of the elections in Hungary:
Watch HERE
Social Media Publications
By UEF Secretariat
By UEF Hungary
Here are some of the best Reels posted by UEF Hungary, including those created in collaboration with other national and local branches, other organisations (Pulse of Europe) and Jef Europe.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWOrThGgm93
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWYMyxuGK2e
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWjc-E6CcO7
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWrEkHZj6GZ
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW0hQDpAdlr
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW2DY6RDRVl
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DW9cN88DTYS
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXADPizCOhY
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXCKCzOCIZ2
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXOWMFjjC1I
We would like to share with you an article published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) and written by Sven Simon, MEP EPP, Professor of International and European Law at Philipps University of Marburg and Chair of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament (AFCO).
Read the article in German here: LINK
"The world order on which Europe’s security and well-being were founded has given way to a policy of imperial power. If the EU wishes to continue to play a role in the future, it must become more capable of taking action.
The international order on which Europe’s security and well-being were based for decades no longer exists. It is not weakened, nor is it in a state of transition: it has vanished. In its place, a world of imperial structures, strategic power politics and the systematic exploitation of dependencies is taking hold. In this order, it is not formal equality that matters, but the capacity to act politically – whether actors shape events or are shaped by them.
Europe finds itself at the centre of this new reality: too large to be ignored, yet too fragmented to be taken seriously as a power. In key policy areas – security, energy, technology, industry and capital markets – national sovereignty alone is no longer capable of acting. Under the conditions of the new world order, strategic sovereignty can only be organised at the European level.
Federal strength rather than national fragmentation
The experience of the European Union has long confirmed this. Where Europe has federal decision-making and oversight structures, it is able to act and assert itself. The internal market, trade policy, competition law and monetary policy demonstrate what is possible when responsibilities are concentrated and decisions are made in a binding manner. Where, on the other hand, Europe clings to national fragmentation, it emerges politically weakened, pitted against one another and dependent on external actors.
Coordination alone does not generate power in this world. A confederal order remains a collection of national vetoes. What appears to individual states as protection actually creates vulnerability in the context of imperial competition. With growing dependence on energy imports, critical raw materials, global supply chains and foreign technology, the strategic risk for Europe is increasing. Those who lose their economic and security autonomy will, in the long term, also lose the ability to defend their own values.
Trust is being undermined
The ability to act at the federal level in certain policy areas is therefore inevitable from a geopolitical perspective. It is precisely this necessity, however, that is meeting with ever-increasing political and social resistance across Europe. The reason for this lies less in the issue itself than in the institutional structure of the European Union. The EU possesses considerable regulatory power; its decisions increasingly affect highly political key sectors of state sovereignty. At the same time, its institutional architecture is only capable to a limited extent of ensuring political responsiveness, public accountability and adaptive governance.
Highly political decisions emerge within a complex, multi-level system that diffuses political responsibility, depersonalises political conflicts and systematically prioritises legal continuity over the capacity for political correction. In practice, European law is easier to create than to amend or repeal. This structural asymmetry generates dissatisfaction – not because European politics is fundamentally rejected, but because it is perceived as difficult to correct from a political perspective.
It is precisely this lack of capacity for revision that undermines trust. Where political decisions cannot be visibly reviewed, adjusted or, in case of doubt, even revoked, the impression of technocratic inevitability is created. Federal solutions then appear not as a necessity, but as an irreversible transfer of powers. In this way, institutional shortcomings block the political mediation that is precisely required during those phases of integration that would be objectively necessary.
The EU must be reformed now!
From this diagnosis emerges a reform architecture comprising five interconnected elements.
Firstly, a European executive is needed that is clearly politically accountable, whose actions can be attributed to the Parliament. European politics needs visible accountability, not just efficient procedures. In other words: the European Commission must become politically electable and removable.
Secondly, the European Parliament must be substantially strengthened, in particular through a genuine right of legislative initiative – not primarily to create new laws, but to be able to propose independently which existing European laws should be amended, adapted or repealed. Political accountability without autonomous decision-making power remains incomplete. It is precisely the ability to correct flawed strategic decisions that has been lacking so far, yet it is fundamental to democratic acceptance.
European law must not be irreversible
Thirdly, strategic policy requires dynamic European law. In key policy areas, systematic mechanisms for review and revision must be established, for example through review and sunset clauses. European law must not be understood as an irreversible end state, but as a politically verifiable decision. The possibility of amending or repealing EU law in a targeted manner is not a sign of weakness, but a prerequisite for democratic stability.
Fourthly, functional federalisation is necessary – where appropriate within the framework of enhanced cooperation. In areas of genuine European interdependence, clusters of sovereignty must emerge that bring together decision-making and oversight powers, without pursuing generalised centralisation.
What role will Europe still play in the future?
Finally, Europe’s capacity to act requires a political declaration. Formal transparency is not enough. A forum for accountability linked to the European Parliament could contribute to this, without transferring decision-making powers. It could bring together, on a case-by-case basis, MEPs from the majority and the minority, representatives of national parliaments and the European executive in a clear accountability role, to make decisions publicly comprehensible both before and after their adoption.
The old order has vanished. The new one has not yet been written. It is time to decide whether Europe will be an object or a subject in this world. The capacity to act at a federal level is inevitable from a geopolitical perspective, but politically sustainable only if European power remains verifiable, correctable and democratically accountable. This is not a technical detail, but the key to democratic acceptance."
We would like to share here an article signed by Domenec Ruiz Devesa, President of the UEF, and published in the Spanish media Información with the title: Las inasumibles dependencias europeas: defensa y energía
Read here in Spanish: LINK
Here below the recording of the opening session and the media coverage from Spanish Newspapers.
Media coverage from Spanish Newspapers
Albares señala que la UE no debe aceptar una «realpolitik» malinterpretada y urge a la integración
Córdoba Buenas Noticias, 20.03.2026.
Albares reclama más integración europea y rechaza una realpolitik mal entendida
Demócrata, 20.03.2026
Albares reclama un «salto cualitativo» de la UE en seguridad y apuesta por un ejército europeo
EuropaPress.tv, 20.03.2026
Illa alerta de que Europa «pierde credibilidad» si no sabe defender sus valores fundacionales
Última Hora, 20.03.2026
Illa alerta que Europa «perd credibilitat» si no defensa els seus valors fundacionals
Diari de Barcelona, 20.03.2026
President Illa: «Catalunya vol ser part activa d’una Espanya federal i d’una Europa federal»
Govern.cat, 20.03.2026
Domènec Ruiz Devesa, reelegido por aclamación presidente de la Unión de los Federalistas Europeos en el Congreso de Barcelona
Información, 24.03.2026
Salvador Illa: «Europa debe adaptarse a la nueva realidad sin renunciar a los derechos humanos»
Información, 22.03.2026
O Congresso da UEF em Barcelona estabelece marcos ambiciosos para uma Europa federal e soberana
El Trapezio, 27.03.2026
Domènec Ruiz Devesa re-elected by acclamation as President of the Union of European Federalists.
Former Spanish Member of the European Parliament Domènec Ruiz Devesa has been re-elected by acclamation as President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF) during the XXIX European Congress held in Barcelona from 20 to 22 March 2026, co-organised with UEF Spain and UEF Catalunya Federalistes d’Esquerres.
This re-election comes at a particularly symbolic moment, as 2026 marks the 80th anniversary of the organisation, founded in 1946 to promote the political unity of Europe. Ruiz Devesa is the first Spaniard to lead the UEF in its history.
A High-Level European and Institutional Congress
The opening session brought together prominent European, national, and local political figures, including the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia Salvador Illa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs José Manuel Albares,
the Mayor of Barcelona Jaume Collboni, former EU High Representative and Commission Vice President Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the European Parliament Javier López, and former President of the European Parliament Enrique Barón Crespo.
Notably, both President Illa and Minister Albares emphasised the importance of the federalist path as a response to today’s challenges, highlighting the role of a more integrated Europe in ensuring peace, social justice, and international stability. To watch the welcoming speeches, please find here below
Debating the Future of European Federalism
A key highlight of the Congress was the Spinelli Group debate titled “Is Draghi's Pragmatic Federalism enough to face current challenges?”, which gathered leading federalist figures such as Gabriele Bischoff, MEP and President of the Spinelli Group, former HR/VP Josep Borrell, and Guy Verhofstadt, former Prime Minister of Belgium, Former MEP and ex-officio Board Member of the Spinelli Group. The discussion underscored the need for a method to strengthen political ambition in European integration to address current geopolitical, economic, and security challenges. While the necessity of deeper integration is widely acknowledged, the focus must now shift to concrete actions to achieve it.
Celebrating 80 Years of Federalism
The Congress also marked the 80th anniversary of the UEF with a cocktail reception featuring an art exhibition by Lorenzo Epis, symbolising the connection between culture, European citizenship, and the federalist project.
Another important moment was the event bringing together former UEF Presidents—Jo Leinen, Mercedes Bresso, Andrew Duff, Elmar Brok, and Sandro Gozi—who reflected on the evolution of the European federalist movement. By acclamation, they all became Honorary Presidents.
A Political Agenda for a More United Europe
Throughout the Congress, which continued over the weekend, delegates debated and adopted key political resolutions outlining an ambitious vision for the future of the European Union. Key priorities include:
- overcoming unanimity in key policy areas such as foreign affairs, defence, and taxation;
- advancing towards a credible and operational European Defence Union;
- developing a common fiscal capacity, including instruments such as eurobonds;
- promoting deeper integration through coherent enhanced cooperation;
- advancing Treaty reform and strengthening the role of European citizens.
New Leadership Elected
The Congress also elected the new statutory bodies of the UEF. Alongside President Ruiz Devesa, the following Vice-Presidents were elected: Daphne Gogou, Giulia Rossolillo, Markus Ferber MEP, and Alin Mituta former MEP 2019-2024. Antonio Argenziano was elected Treasurer.
The Executive Bureau also includes Eszter Nagy, Liubba El Hadi Hamed, Roberto Castaldi, Simina Tulbure, Michael Montag, José Luis Salazar, Sebastian Camarero, and François Leray. The Secretary General Mathilde Baudouin is confirmed in her charge.
A Mandate for European Political Union
Following his re-election, Domenec Ruiz Devesa stated:
“Europe is at a moment where it must take a qualitative leap towards political union to ensure its security, prosperity, and global relevance.”
He further stressed that European federalism “is no longer an option, but a practical necessity,” calling on European institutions and national governments to act with greater ambition.
The UEF Secretariat
Ahead of the European Council meeting of 19–20 March, the Action Committee for the United States of Europe has taken an initiative to contribute to the ongoing debate on the future direction of the European Union.
Last week, the Action Committee transmitted a letter to Pedro Lourtie, Head of Cabinet of the President of the European Council, together with a document drafted in the format of European Council conclusions. The initiative was undertaken on behalf of the President of the Union of European Federalists (UEF), Domènec Ruiz Devesa, with the aim of providing a constructive federalist contribution to the current reflection on how the Union can strengthen its capacity to act.
The document focuses on three key areas currently at the centre of the EU agenda: European sovereignty in security and defence, digital sovereignty, and progress towards a deeper political union. It proposes a set of measures designed to reinforce the Union’s ability to respond effectively to the growing geopolitical and technological challenges facing Europe.
In particular, the contribution highlights the need to overcome the limitations of unanimity in decision-making, to advance the discussion on institutional reform based on the European Parliament’s proposal of 23 November 2023 to revise the Treaty of Lisbon, and to promote a coherent framework of strengthened cooperations among Member States willing to move forward in key policy areas.
Among the priorities identified are the further deepening of the internal market, stronger tax coordination, and greater integration of foreign policy and defence. The initiative aims to encourage concrete progress in these areas while supporting a broader federalist vision of the European Union.
Through this contribution, the Action Committee seeks to participate constructively in the debate on how to equip the European Union with the political and institutional tools necessary to act effectively and protect its citizens in an increasingly complex global environment.
The full document can be consulted here:
The Political and Activity Report 2025 provides a comprehensive overview of the organisation’s initiatives, campaigns, and political actions carried out throughout the year. The report highlights the federalist movement’s efforts to promote democratic reform of the European Union, strengthen European integration, and mobilise civil society and political leaders around the vision of a more united and sovereign Europe.
Introduced by a foreword from the leadership of the organisation, the report underlines the importance of renewed political commitment to European unity in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment. As emphasised in the foreword, the federalist movement aims to “promote debate, translating challenges into concrete action and driving the political will to move forward in European integration.”
Throughout its pages, the report presents the key activities undertaken by UEF and its partners: advocacy for treaty reform, initiatives supporting a European Defence Union, public campaigns and institutional dialogue aimed at advancing the project of a federal Europe. These actions reflect the broader mission of the federalist movement to strengthen democratic governance at the European level and to contribute to shaping the future of the Union. ()
You can read the full Political and Activity Report 2025 here:
LINK HERE https://federalists.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/UEF-Report-2025_def_compressed.pdf
Additional publications and past reports are available in the Federalists’ Series, the UEF library of policy papers, analyses and activity reports documenting the work of the federalist movement over the years:
LINK HERE https://federalists.eu/library-series/federalist-reports/
The Union of European Federalists (UEF) has published a new policy paper titled “Is a Federal European Union Possible? Yes — but not at Twenty-Seven.” The paper examines one of the central institutional challenges facing the European Union today: how to overcome the paralysis created by unanimity in key policy areas and enable the Union to act effectively in an increasingly unstable geopolitical environment.
Written by Domènec Ruiz Devesa, President of the UEF and former Member of the European Parliament, the paper argues that the current decision-making system — where unanimity is still required in fields such as foreign policy, defence, taxation and EU finances — severely limits the EU’s capacity to respond to strategic challenges.
The analysis highlights how repeated vetoes by individual governments can block decisions affecting hundreds of millions of Europeans. With the prospect of future enlargements, this structural problem risks becoming even more acute.
The policy paper explores several possible institutional pathways to overcome the veto system and move towards a more federal and effective Union. Among the options discussed are the use of the passerelle clauses of the Lisbon Treaty, a broader Treaty reform process, and the creation of a federal core of willing Member States through enhanced cooperation mechanisms embedded within the EU framework.
According to the paper, a vanguard group of countries ready to deepen integration could advance common policies in areas such as foreign policy, defence and fiscal capacity, while remaining fully anchored within the European Union’s institutional structure.
At a time when Europe faces growing geopolitical pressures and internal fragmentation, the policy paper contributes to the ongoing debate on how the EU can strengthen its democratic legitimacy, strategic autonomy and capacity to act.
Read the full policy paper:
https://federalists.eu/federalist-library/is-a-federal-european-union-possible-yes-but-not-at-twenty-seven/
Pictures
Brussels, 6 March 2026
As European Federalists we express our solidarity to the Iranian people and recall the urgent need for a common European foreign policy.
The Union of European Federalists strongly condemns the military escalation in the Middle East which took, in a few hours, a dramatic dimension involving 15 States. The use of force by the United States and Israel against Iran, and the subsequent retaliation by Iran against countries in the region, undermine international peace and security and constitute a clear violation of international law. The recent experience in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Afghanistan has demonstrated that wars seeking to overthrow authoritarian regimes could not successfully install democratic regimes but instead proliferate chaos and dictatorships.
We recall that all States must respect their obligations under international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, which clearly prohibits “the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.”
As European Federalists, we recall our support for democracy in Iran and we focus on standing with the Iranian people, and in particular women and youth, in their fight against authoritarianism. We condemn the regime’s violent suppression of protests over the past decades. We express our solidarity with the Iranian people, commending their courage and determination for freedom, liberty and the fight for a better future. We emphasize that Iranians deserve to live under a government that respects human rights, fundamental freedoms and human dignity.
We welcome the January 2026 EU decision to officially designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, as requested by the European Parliament; a long overdue decision which puts an end to the impunity of the main actor of the Iranian regime.
We regret the absence of a strong common European Union position concerning the escalation in the Middle East, due to the division of the 27 Member States, which weakens the Union’s global role. We emphasize the direct impact of the current crisis on all Member States and the urgent need for a common European foreign policy.
We call the Union to be actively involved in initiatives aimed at an immediate cessation of hostilities and de-escalation. The risks of a wider regional conflict could have grave consequences on the proliferation of nuclear weapons, chronic economic instability and the forced displacement of people. We strongly encourage the European Union to actively participate in diplomatic initiatives looking for a peaceful settlement of the crisis in the Middle East, in full accordance with international law, including the UN Charter.
We call on all EU institutions and Member States to reject Trump’s trade threats against Spain and take the appropriate defensive measures in the event.
We finally reiterate the urgent need for a strong European common foreign policy and strategic autonomy, calling on European leaders to start the process of the necessary Treaty changes, towards a federation which will save our democratic way of life, peace and freedom while at the same time respecting European security and economic interests.