The hidden federal features of the European Union help explain the challenges of legitimacy, democracy and freedom that face an unfinished political community. Ideas about federalism and the reality of existing federal states cannot be sharply divided in an analysis of the EU s multilevel political order, but so far both scholars and major decision makers have shown interest only in the normal functioning of federal systems: ignoring the dilemma of the federation s legitimate authority has resulted in an existential crisis for the EU which has become ever more manifest over recent years....