As a European citizen, I find myself in an all-too-familiar position: anxiously watching American political developments unfold across the Atlantic. Like millions of Europeans, I check US polling numbers, analyze campaign strategies, and debate potential outcomes – as if these were our own elections. But this reality should disturb us deeply. Why does Europe, the cradle of democracy and enlightenment values, home to 450 million people and extraordinary innovative potential, hold its breath with every US electoral cycle?

The truth is uncomfortable but clear: we have allowed ourselves to become followers rather than leaders. Our continent gave birth to democracy in ancient Greece, fostered the Renaissance, sparked the Enlightenment, and pioneered the social democratic model that balances market economics with human dignity. Yet today, we often behave like observers rather than shapers of global destiny.

This dependency manifests most visibly in our technological landscape. European consumers rely on American social networks, cloud services, and digital infrastructure. Our startups often look to Silicon Valley for inspiration and funding, while our data flows through American servers. We celebrate when our most promising tech companies achieve success – only to watch them be acquired by US giants.

But our challenge runs deeper than technology. We’ve become intellectual followers in areas where we should be leaders. Climate change? We wait for American commitment before pushing harder on our own green initiatives. Digital privacy? We create GDPR but struggle to build European alternatives to American platforms. Social innovation? We watch US debates about the future of work and society instead of championing our own successful models of social partnership and sustainable development.

This is not how it should be. Europe isn’t just any global region – we are the birthplace of the values that underpin modern democratic societies. Our philosophical tradition, from Ancient Greece through the Enlightenment to modern democratic theory, provides the intellectual foundation for addressing today’s greatest challenges:

• How to balance individual liberty with collective responsibility
• How to harness technological progress while protecting human dignity
• How to create prosperity while ensuring environmental sustainability
• How to build societies that are both diverse and united

We have unique strengths to lead these conversations. Our universities rank among the world’s finest. Our research institutions pioneer breakthroughs in quantum computing, renewable energy, and biotechnology. Our cities are laboratories for sustainable urban living. Our social models demonstrate that economic efficiency and social justice can coexist.

It’s time to reclaim our role as global leaders, not through military might or economic domination, but through the power of our ideas and the strength of our innovations:

• We should be building European digital platforms that embody our values of privacy and human dignity
• Our universities should be setting the global agenda for ethical technology development
• Our cities should be the world’s primary examples of sustainable, inclusive communities
• Our social innovations should show how diverse societies can thrive together

The European Union has everything needed to lead in the 21st century: extraordinary human capital, world-class educational institutions, advanced research capabilities, and most importantly, a rich philosophical tradition of balancing progress with human values.

The next time US elections roll around, Europeans should be able to view them with respectful interest, not existential anxiety. Not because we’ve severed ties with America – they remain a crucial ally – but because we’ve reclaimed our role as architects of the future.

Our mission isn’t to compete with America but to lead by example. To show how ancient values can solve modern problems. To demonstrate how diverse societies can advance together. To prove that technological progress and human dignity can reinforce each other.

This is the Europe we must build: confident in its values, innovative in its solutions, and ready to lead not through dominance but through the power of its ideas and the strength of its example.

Question is… how do we ask our politicians to wake up? And most importantly… are they up to the task? I am afraid we all know the answer to these burning questions.

So… what should we do about it? citizen, I find myself in an all-too-familiar position: anxiously watching American political developments unfold across the Atlantic. Like millions of Europeans, I check US polling numbers, analyze campaign strategies, and debate potential outcomes – as if these were our own elections. But this reality should disturb us deeply. Why does Europe, the cradle of democracy and enlightenment values, home to 450 million people and extraordinary innovative potential, hold its breath with every US electoral cycle?

The truth is uncomfortable but clear: we have allowed ourselves to become followers rather than leaders. Our continent gave birth to democracy in ancient Greece, fostered the Renaissance, sparked the Enlightenment, and pioneered the social democratic model that balances market economics with human dignity. Yet today, we often behave like observers rather than shapers of global destiny.

This dependency manifests most visibly in our technological landscape. European consumers rely on American social networks, cloud services, and digital infrastructure. Our startups often look to Silicon Valley for inspiration and funding, while our data flows through American servers. We celebrate when our most promising tech companies achieve success – only to watch them be acquired by US giants.

But our challenge runs deeper than technology. We’ve become intellectual followers in areas where we should be leaders. Climate change? We wait for American commitment before pushing harder on our own green initiatives. Digital privacy? We create GDPR but struggle to build European alternatives to American platforms. Social innovation? We watch US debates about the future of work and society instead of championing our own successful models of social partnership and sustainable development.

This is not how it should be. Europe isn’t just any global region – we are the birthplace of the values that underpin modern democratic societies. Our philosophical tradition, from Ancient Greece through the Enlightenment to modern democratic theory, provides the intellectual foundation for addressing today’s greatest challenges:

• How to balance individual liberty with collective responsibility
• How to harness technological progress while protecting human dignity
• How to create prosperity while ensuring environmental sustainability
• How to build societies that are both diverse and united

We have unique strengths to lead these conversations. Our universities rank among the world’s finest. Our research institutions pioneer breakthroughs in quantum computing, renewable energy, and biotechnology. Our cities are laboratories for sustainable urban living. Our social models demonstrate that economic efficiency and social justice can coexist.

It’s time to reclaim our role as global leaders, not through military might or economic domination, but through the power of our ideas and the strength of our innovations:

• We should be building European digital platforms that embody our values of privacy and human dignity
• Our universities should be setting the global agenda for ethical technology development
• Our cities should be the world’s primary examples of sustainable, inclusive communities
• Our social innovations should show how diverse societies can thrive together

The European Union has everything needed to lead in the 21st century: extraordinary human capital, world-class educational institutions, advanced research capabilities, and most importantly, a rich philosophical tradition of balancing progress with human values.

The next time US elections roll around, Europeans should be able to view them with respectful interest, not existential anxiety. Not because we’ve severed ties with America – they remain a crucial ally – but because we’ve reclaimed our role as architects of the future.

Our mission isn’t to compete with America but to lead by example. To show how ancient values can solve modern problems. To demonstrate how diverse societies can advance together. To prove that technological progress and human dignity can reinforce each other.

This is the Europe we must build: confident in its values, innovative in its solutions, and ready to lead not through dominance but through the power of its ideas and the strength of its example.

Question is… how do we ask our politicians to wake up? And most importantly… are they up to the task? I am afraid we all know the answer to these burning questions.

So… what should we do about it?