E.U. President Von der Leyen’s
2026 State of the Union address can be characterized as a bricolage of concerns
“all over the map,” with proposed significant outsourcing of responsibilities
to the international level. A notable opportunity cost that goes along with her
approach is the political benefit that could have been gained by alternatively
focusing on internal reforms to the E.U.’s governance structure
and processes. Outsourcing internationally adds to this cost of a missed
opportunity to sell internal reforms by making the E.U.’s federal level look
weak. Even referring to the E.U. as a “bloc” and proposing an “associate
membership” for Canada saps rather than strengthens the European Union.
The full essay is at "President Von der Leyen’s State of the Union Address."