The United States of America is the closest thing to what German Chancellor Angela Merkel says is needed if Europe is to survive. Without Nicolas Sarkozy in the wings, she sounds even more credible in her claims, even though they will jar with the majority of European citizens.

Chancellor Merkel says the EU needs a political union even if it means some countries integrating faster than others. Speaking on German television, she called for “more Europe, a budgetary union, and a political union first and foremost”.

Mrs Merkel said: “Step by step we must from now on give up more competences to Europe, and allow Europe more powers of control.”

There is no doubt, these ‘proposals’ are incendiary. In reality, Mrs Merkel is simply putting it in plain language. Everyone knows, no matter how much they dislike the idea, that Europe must integrate further. What was once “our unique experiment in democracy” is rapidly looking like a mad scientist’s laboratory. We do not mean that there is no future for Europe and that the EU has not provided us with huge benefits… What we mean is that the model as it stood is not the right structure to take us into the future – a cloudy future at that.

A whole debate will now unfold, with people saying that national sovereignty will be eroded. Others will say that it is necessary for Europe to function as a cohesive unit. Both camps would be entirely correct in their arguments. But we have to look at things plainly. We have written this before – nowadays, it seems that merely managing to reach a very watered-down consensus is a political victory for the EU. How can it continue to function in that mode? We have seen tweak after tweak and it is always a band aid – nothing more. The real problems persist and hesitancy at the decision-making table is costing each and every member state.

Ms Merkel’s insistence on economic austerity and budget discipline has alienated many Europeans who say the policy is strangling growth and piling more debts on the struggling “periphery” countries like Greece and Spain.

But she argues that budget consolidation and growth are two sides of the same coin. On TV, she said: “Without solid finances, there is no growth, but solid finances alone are not enough; there are other points – above all, questions of competitiveness.

On the other hand, Mrs Merkel remains very cautious about the idea of pooling eurozone debts in eurobonds. Germany, as the strongest EU economy, wants to avoid a situation where it would end up shouldering the debt burden of weaker EU countries.

Just like everyone, Malta will have its reservations. Each and every citizen will have reservations, but further integration is going to be the way forward. What that will mean, is anyone’s guess. But just as the EU was born out of radical thinking, it needs some radical re-thinking, if it is to survive as a cohesive unit.