Political leaders across Europe are exploring the idea of creating a "federal vanguard" — a group of states that would take the lead in advancing key European policies. This proposal aims to move forward with important reforms despite the current gridlock in the European Union, where decision-making is often slowed by the need for consensus among all member states. While the concept has its advantages, critics argue that pre-selecting which countries would be part of this core group goes against the democratic principles of federalism, which typically emphasize equal participation and shared decision-making. The European Union is currently facing several institutional challenges that hinder its ability to act decisively. For instance, the Council of the EU operates under the principle of unanimity, which means that any major decision requires agreement from all member states. This often results in compromises that are not ambitious enough to address pressing issues. Additionally, the European Parliament, although elected by citizens, lacks the power to initiate legislation, and the EU has limited administrative structures to handle issues that are traditionally considered the domain of national governments. These factors contribute to a lack of a unified European political identity. A recent proposal by former French minister Bruno Le Maire suggests forming an "Europe of Six," inspired by a plan from Germany's finance minister. This idea would bring together six countries, drawing from the original six founding members of the European Communities in 1951, but with some changes — replacing Luxembourg and Belgium with Spain and Poland. In a speech in Reims, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal suggested a similar configuration that would also include the Nordic countries. However, the selection of these states has been criticized as arbitrary, with concerns that it favors Western Europe and excludes several countries in the Balkans. Critics also argue that this approach assumes that larger countries are more capable of guiding Europe’s future, even though some of these nations frequently use their veto power in the European Council. Furthermore, the proposed federal core would bypass constitutional processes in individual countries, such as referendums or parliamentary votes, which are typically required for major reforms. This has raised concerns that the proposal is not in line with democratic principles. Additionally, some of the proposed core countries have shown little enthusiasm for deeper European integration, making the project politically challenging. While forming a federal core might be one way to break the current deadlock, it would require a process based on mutual agreement and shared goals. It would need to involve countries willing to give up their national veto powers and prioritize European cooperation over nationalism. It would also require granting the European Parliament more legislative authority and moving away from decisions influenced solely by national political trends. However, the "Six" have not consistently shown enthusiasm for these conditions, raising questions about the feasibility of such a project.