The complaint about Europe's phone number

A Washington conservative policymaker asked why Europe doesn't have a single phone number to call. He complained that Americans don't know whether to contact the European Commission, Council, Parliament, or individual countries.

“"Everything in Europe is complicated and confusing. You should get your act together!"”

Europeans apologize for their complexity

When confronted with this criticism, Europeans typically apologize and admit their continent is divided and disorganized compared to the streamlined United States.

But fragmentation is the real strength

Europe's multiple phone numbers reflect strict institutional separation of powers across various levels of governance. This design minimizes the chance that an autocratic leader could ever seize total power.

The cost of consensus-building

Europe's system produces a cacophony of voices and often delays decisions on important issues. Proposals get watered down into half-baked compromises because everyone deserves to be heard and accommodated.

Europeans chose this deliberately

Europeans designed this system precisely because they don't want a superstate or a leader who can decide the fate of millions with a snap of his fingers. They learned from history.

American hypocrisy on centralization

Many American policymakers asking for one phone number work for a regime actively undermining centralized European power. They fund far-right nationalist groups to wreck areas where Europe does regulate centrally, like trade and agriculture.

Europe embodies diversity and unity

Czech writer Milan Kundera called Europe a maximum of diversity on a minimum of territory. Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset argued Europe inherently combines homogeneity and diversity at the same time.

“"a maximum of diversity on a minimum of territory"”

Shared history created power-sharing

Europeans have been forming a society for a very long time, but within that society are different identities, cultures, religions, languages, and histories. Sharing power and seeking compromise has always been the only way to avoid war.

Living in two spaces at once

Europeans constantly live in two societies simultaneously: the broader Europe and their own nation-state. This dualism means they're always grappling with balancing different wishes, interests, and demands.

Europe survives by finding compromise

During the banking crisis, eurocrisis, refugee crisis, Brexit, COVID-19, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, people predicted the EU would fall apart. Each time it didn't, and it got stronger instead.

National leaders compromise when it matters

National leaders defend their own interests in Brussels negotiations. But when push comes to shove, they realize they must move forward together. They don't love it, but none wants to be alone.

Multiple numbers signal civilization

As Washington seems to have just one phone number, the Trump family's, Europeans should cherish their multiple numbers. They are a sign of moderation and therefore of civilization.