Closer Union Or Superstate?

All of Europe was riveted by the drama of the high-level gathering — leading figures jockeying to advance their nations' causes while television beamed live broadcasts back home to audiences of millions. The advances and feints, subtle maneuvers and frontal attacks were obsessively chronicled in the newspapers. Too bad the European Union's Presidents and Prime Ministers weren't playing football at Euro 2004. Their gathering in Brussels late last week to agree on a new constitution spurred much less interest than the athletes who were going for glory in Portugal.

That's the E.U.'s conundrum. Why does this complex, ambitious...