Germany, since 1945, has developed a strong tradition of respecting European integration as an uncontroversial subject that has to be supported unanimously. At times, it was an enforced consensus, but always a consensus. This tradition has been shattered by the crisis of the European Currency Union. The crisis has taught us that dissent on European issues is legitimate and may well be unavoidable. There is no obvious answer to all the questions posed by the present condition of the European Union. Germany, therefore, needs a new intellectual culture of frankness in discussing theses questions. The articles in this volume should be read as an effort to promote the fresh debate that is now necessary. Most of them have a common focus: How can the substance of democracy be preserved in a process of integrating almost 30 nation states into a larger and very complex political system?