The Future of the European Union: National Sovereignty or Centralization?

We presented the The Great Reset report to a full house!

The Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) and the Ordo Iuris Institute co-organized a professional conference on the future of the European Union and its potential reforms. Distinguished experts shared their views at the event: Balázs Orbán, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at MCC; Miklós Szánthó, Director General of the Center for Fundamental Rights; Jerzy Kwaśniewski, President and Co-Founder of the Ordo Iuris Institute; and Rodrigo Ballester, Head of the Center for European Studies at MCC. The panel discussion was moderated by Damille Devenyi, MCC Researcher.

• Balázs Orbán pointed out that the European Union is currently directionless and, without profound change, risks disintegration. He believes the EU’s overly dogmatic and bureaucratic system prevents effective responses to today’s challenges. However, he emphasized that the situation is not hopeless—reform is possible, but it requires a new, strategic mindset. He highlighted the key role of Central Europe, a region that has historically been a driving force in European development.
• Jerzy Kwaśniewski criticized the EU’s crisis management, which he sees as defaulting to further centralization of power in every instance. He stressed the importance of returning decision-making powers to leaders elected by the member states and proposed a reduced role for the European Commission. In his view, the EU should not function as a centralized bureaucratic entity but rather as a cooperation among sovereign states.
• Miklós Szánthó argued that while the EU began as an economic cooperation, it has evolved into an ideological union that increasingly serves political purposes. He described the European Commission as an ideological apparatus imposing its will on Member States and building a Europe that no longer reflects the "founding fathers’" vision. He particularly criticized the European Court of Justice, which he said takes major political decisions without democratic legitimacy. In his view, the EU is in urgent need of reform or it risks complete collapse.
• Rodrigo Ballester advocated for a "Back to the Roots" scenario, urging the EU to return to its founding principles and reduce both bureaucracy and centralization. He recalled that prior to the Maastricht Treaty (1992–93), the EU served the Member States—not the other way around. He criticized the excessive power of Brussels institutions and noted that the principle of subsidiarity currently operates as a one-way process toward centralization. He also proposed capping EU officials’ salaries, arguing that no one should earn more than €10,000 net per month.

Possible scenarios for the future:

• "Back to the Roots" – The EU returns to its original principles, reduces bureaucracy, and gives greater authority to national leaders.
• "A New Beginning" – A more radical reform that would place European cooperation on entirely new foundations, introduced through an international conference and a transitional period.

All panelists agreed that the future of the European Union depends on restoring the sovereignty of its Member States and resisting excessive centralization.