European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s recently proposed Congress of Europe is a step in the right direction, given the scale of Europe’s geopolitical challenges. But to succeed, it must address the shortcomings that have hampered similar efforts in the past.
BRUSSELS—In her latest State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached back almost 80 years for inspiration, invoking the 1948 Congress of Europe, which brought together political leaders, intellectuals, and civil-society representatives to debate how a devastated continent could build a peaceful European future. On that model, she wants to convene a new Congress of Europe next year to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome (which created the European Economic Community, the precursor to the European Union).