A number of high-profile European politicians, academics and public figures have endorsed the project and support it with their work.

First, there are unmistakable signs of extremism within member states – most recently exemplified by the rise of an openly neo-Nazi party in Greece.

Thirdly, because the economic imbalance between Germany and the European periphery poisons political discourse so that what was intended to unite now increasingly divides us.

The solution to these problems, Europe's 'democratic deficit', and her failure to address the current currency crisis can only be a 'federal' one and must be owned by the entire population of the Union democratically expressed.

This is the only structure which will enable Europeans to mobilize in pursuit of their collective endeavors rather than against each other, and which will integrate Germany economically and militarily into the larger whole, without disenfranchising either the German people or any other population of the Union.