Chamber Quote by Jacques Delors
“My objective is that before the end of the millennium Europe should have a true federation. The Commission should become a political executive which can define essential common interests... responsible before the European Parliament and before the nation-states represented how you will, by the European Council or by a second chamber of national parliaments.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: European Commission President Jacques Delors, 1990 European integration summit
He envisions a unified Europe with a strong political executive accountable to both Parliament and member states, creating a true federation.
In simple terms: Europe should become a single political entity with shared decision‑making.
Key Takeaway
Support deeper EU integration and democratic accountability.
Themes
European integration
political union
governance
democracy
federalism
Mood
optimistic
determined
reflective
Type
political
visionary
policy
When to use this quote
- EU policy drafting
- national parliament debates
- citizen referendums
- regional cooperation
Key Concepts
Supranationalism
shared sovereignty
institutional design
Questions to Reflect On
- How can democratic legitimacy be ensured in a federal Europe?
- What mechanisms balance national interests with EU-wide goals?
A Different Perspective
Challenges include national sovereignty concerns and varying public support across countries.
![“It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic [totally silent] chamber not expecting in that silent room to hear two sounds: one high, my nervous system in operation, one low, my blood in circulation. The reason I did not expect to hear those two sounds was that they…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/153/john-cage-2094_blood_it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years_56114.jpg)