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.
Updated: 5 June 2009
The voters rejected the tutelage of Mario Monti and Angela Merkel, sabotaging the Chancellor's strategy of postponing the euro crisis until after Germany's September elections. To avoid a complete disintegration of the European consensus, the integration process must get back on track now. 
In the wake of a jittery summer, the eurozone can look forward to a more tranquil autumn, with northern European countries, and in particular Germany, adopting a more pragmatic approach. The richer EU states have finally come to the realisation that the end of the euro would have catastrophic consequences both for the EU and the world at large. However, that does not mean they are ready to cut their partners some slack, or that the crisis will be resolved anytime soon. 
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.