provide peace, and it ca n't guarantee prosperity either, then what should its role be ? Born from the ashes of Europe's turbulent past, the EU has accomplished much for its members. It has taught its citizens value of compromise over violence, providing protection and strength in numbers. It has boosted prosperity, thanks to the free flow of goods and labor brought about by the single market, while consumer and workersrights have been reinforced and their health improved thanks to bans on smoking. But the EU has also drifted far from its original concept, its ranks swollen by a massive Brussels-based bureaucratic machine which, critics say, is stifling industry and is pushing members like the UK towards the exit door. The bloc's borders have doubled with its endless absorption of former communist countries, stretching the definition of Europe to its limits, making membership to this formerly elite club appear more like a handy foreign policy tool rather than a cherished vision. The EU faces a constant challenge living up to the expectations of its citizens and without two-tier policies it has no hope of serving both the bloc's strong and weak economies alike. The EU needs a new vision a new project its people can feel passionate about. And where better to start then this week's pivotal parliamentary elections.