Adriana Cerretelli
Adriana Cerretelli is a journalist at Sole 24 Ore. She lives between Milan and Brussels – where she is bureau chief. A specialist in international politics, European integration, the euro and the single market, she was awarded the title Officer of the Italian Republic for her contribution to the launch of the euro.
The elections of May 6 have revealed the dramatic split between politicians and citizens. To prevent it from degenerating, we must abandon the obsession with austerity and discussions in small committees and restart the engine through the solidarity and integration that are the hallmarks of Europe, according to one columnist. 
To be the world’s leading economic powerhouse by 2010: the Lisbon strategy objective is clearly unattainable. So the 27 have decided to give themselves another ten years to develop a new growth model. But the setting is even less auspicious than it was last time around. 
The European Union used to be the major partner for African governments, but it has increasingly lost ground to China, Russia and India, which now leads the race to take advantage of the continent's precious resources. 
Record abstention for the elections this year comes as no surprise, writes Il Sole 24 Ore. Confined to economic and geopolitical priorities, the European project, born out of the post-war reconciliation, no longer inspires.