Leader of the left-progressive group in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt has said that in order to compete with the rest of the world, the European Union must become an \u201cempire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE)\u00a0told<\/strong><\/span><\/a>\u00a0CNN that proposals by European populist-patriots to reform the EU and devolve power from Brussels back to the nation-state would mean\u00a0that the bloc \u201cwill die inside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe world is developing into one not of nation states, but of empires. China is an empire. India is an empire. The US is an empire. We need to create a European Union that is capable of defending our interests,\u201d Mr Verhofstadt stated during the interview, speaking to the leftist American news network in what was described as his \u201cspacious\u201d Brussels office.<\/span><\/p>\n Mr Verhofstadt, who is also the European Parliament\u2019s Brexit Coordinator, is an avid supporter of greater federalisation of the European Union.<\/span><\/p>\n During a Euronews\u00a0Raw Politics<\/em>\u00a0panel last week, the former prime minister of Belgium compared a proposed United States of Europe to the United States of America,\u00a0saying<\/a><\/strong><\/span>: \u201cThe United States of Europe is a way to organise a common action on the European level by recognising, by guaranteeing the autonomy of the member states.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Other Eurocrats have also voiced support for a United States of Europe, including former president of the European Parliament and German socialist politician Martin Schulz who\u00a0called<\/a><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0for its formation by 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n EU Elections \u2018Last Chance to End Nationalist Nightmare\u2019 \u2013 Verhofstadt https:\/\/t.co\/umvAi1hXCm<\/a><\/p>\n — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) March 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n