Sarkozy's Proposal: Elitist or Forward Thinking?
Jose Ignacio Torreblanca of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) criticizes Sarkozy’s proposal of a committee of the wise, to address the future of Europe, but discusses how it might eventually come to be seen as an interesting forum for mobilizing public debate about the future challenges of the EU.
The proposal has been received with skepticism because of fears that it could negatively interfere with the successful ratification of the Lisbon Treaty and endorse Sarkozy’s negative stance on Turkey’s EU membership. A thoroughly amended version of the original proposals could, however, help the EU to face a number of important challenges it is likely to face by 2020.
European Council on Foreign Relations, December 12, 2007
