Why California should join the EU

Blog, 19/01/2025, by Sven Franck (au français , in deutsch)

On the eve of the American presidential inauguration, we wonder what will happen to Europe's streak of almost 70 years of transatlantic partnership and peace. The incumbent doesn't beat around the bush: Panama, Canada or Greenland - the new game will be "bully ball" and whether annexed voluntarily, by force or not at all, the world will be a different place after January 20th.

We must ask ourselves: how should a United Europe respond to the fear-mongering of its longstanding ally? A proper response of Europe could also copy a page from the populist handbook. If Donald Trump is salivating over Greenland ignoring laws and the international order, why doesn't the EU return the favor and propose to California to secede and join the European Union?

California love

With a GDP of over 4 trillion dollars, California would be the 4th largest economy in the world after the US, China and Germany and a European economic powerhouse. Imagine, Silicon Valley not having to invest into juice pressers, but into innovating traditional industries across Europe. The EU Commission would embrace this innovative drive of California and replace "bureaucracy" as Europe's paradigm - of course with a focus on green technologies. We would be putting the smartest minds of the world on combating climate change instead of maximising views on the cesspool that US social media has become.

California’s business model of turning immigration into a competitive advantage will also make waves in Europe and could quickly snuff out any right-wing ambition selling ethnic pureness and overdosing on Orwell as path to salvation. From Austria to Hungary, the Californian way of life would also breathe some much needed "easy-living" into the European conservative DNA.

Should I stay or should I go now?

Think about it, California. You are suffering through one of the biggest environmental disasters which is being compared to the great fires of London (1555) and Chicago (1871). But this will just be the beginning: You are to Donald Trump what wokeness is to the German AfD. You are Maga's "Voldemort" and your new president will go to lengths to burn down everything California holds dear, lighting more fires instead of supporting the victims of the current blaze.

Should you stay? If you could choose between a Union that welcomed you with open arms and a Union that wants to take you apart? Between a Union committed to protecting against the effects of climate change and a President that would wish the next natural disaster on you? Between a Union that is "United in diversity" and one that seeks to divide and deport? You know the next line from the title of The Clash: "if I go it will be trouble, if I stay it will be double". California, you’ve always been a first mover. Don't stay. Join Europe.

Europe is ready

You might not notice our territorial sprinkles: the Dutch Antilles, French Polynesia, the Spanish Canary islands - Europe is more global than the US. California would be a great addition to the European family, which could, like the UK Commonwealth albeit all its faults, evolve towards a similar global reach. Europe even has an EU enlargement commissioner, who just announced that Albania and Montenegro could be ready for accession to the EU by 2028. Let's think bigger. Let's invite California to join.

Our member states' presidents champion a stronger Europe for some time now. They are realising that Europe needs to be a supranational political entity in this changing world. An entity with a European defence and decision making bodies "armed" with the qualified majority to not force it to sit idle. A European parliament, which Californians would elect a significant number of representatives to and which would gain the power of legal initiative.

And with such an EU enlargement, France could allow the European Union to use its permanent seat in the UN security council, while the new representatives of California in the European Parliament could launch the initiative to draft a Constitution for a federal Europe. You could lead the way, California. Join the EU.