EU Reform Proposal Draws Parallels to Decline of Holy Roman Empire
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The EU is often compared to the Holy Roman Empire, which declined from within before being formally dissolved in 1806. The EU may now face a similar corrosion and eventual demise.
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The EU managed to survive a wave of populist revolts, but national populists have mostly surrendered to Brussels. The Franco-German proposal for EU reform could further weaken national sovereignty.
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The proposal calls for a multi-speed Europe with tiered membership to accommodate Ukraine and the Balkans. This could dilute the benefits of membership and authority of the EU core.
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Tiered membership allows punishment of "rogue states" while keeping them in the EU. The new structure echoes the Holy Roman Empire's diffusion of power before its end.
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The goal should be using multi-speed Europe to hasten the end of the EU and restore fully sovereign nation-states, without succumbing to authoritarianism.