I’ve been hearing the ‘this is definitely the end/downfall of the EU’ for decades, often from the Anglosphere but also other countries. Maybe this time it’s true.
Got no issue with Magnus pov. Dvoes make me think of all the Brexit discussions though, where one of the main arguments against the EU was that it’s become too much of a political union.
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Which would be a disastrous “hoping for the best” way to go about this. Extremely convinient though. Comfortable. It is after all, what we in Europe did after Trump’s previous term. Has it not backfired enough ? Are we not fucked hard enough since 2022, in a non-consensual brutal manner, to have learned not to do this once again ? I would hope so.
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Fair, but that was never my own perspective 
I have been pro EU most of my life. I find a political union, more attractive, not less. Simply because it means power and I think we in Europe needs such power to compete with the bullies in a new Realpolitik World.
The alternative to power, if there is no “Rules Based Order”, is a form of vassalage (soft or hard, depending on liege) to a greater power. And we have seen this here, how Hard Power and geopolitics trumps the Old Order we were used to.
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Yeah I know. It’s just funny to me, because it’s on the same forum I used to debate people who wanted to leave the EU and become more like Norway, because it’s too much of a political union and then here’s the Norwegians not wanting to join the EU because it’s not enough of a political union. It’s just weirdly ironic.
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I can see that ! 
Are Germany having second thoughts as it’s not what they thought it was?
I’m torn by this ‘commercial’ deal in so many ways.
It’s evident why Germany and Italy wanted a deal to bring ‘stability’ being major exporters to the US.
Leaving so much unresolved is just nonsense. Which is why you don’t agree to things over breakfast. It’s also why ‘trade’ deals take so long to negotiate.
To me Europe don’t so much look weak, it was done to benefit 2 states, however definitely stupid!
She is correct and I hate it. I am no fan of her usually, primarily because of the tone she tends to have. But she has big brain and is no nonsense lady, if tasteless at times. And she is correct here. There is nothing she says that is not purely accurate:
https://x.com/vtchakarova/status/1954221751002411480
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Why is this a surprise? Surely this has been clear for some time.
edit:
p.s. Though I have not researched it I felt it and it seems something that was foreseen and commented on awhile back by those more knowledgeable than me.
p.p.s. Europe will continue to decline. We are happy with it on the whole - else we would rail against it.
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Well, it’s not a surprise to me and those who have deeper interest in politics and history. But it is a surprise to most Europeans.
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I don’t think this is true (but agree with your other points!). I think the “happy enough” blasè bit is due to blissful ignorance and failure to understand how absolutely terrible the forecast actually is; and not because most Europeans would accept the impending future if they were better informed.
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Agree, I was saying it was effect… but I would say that we are actively covering our ears to the message. When I mention it to people, in France or England or Germany, they sort of smile, as if to humor a deluded fool, and move the conversation on or simply move on… People see their immediate needs and not the long term view which, may affect their children or grand children. Low taxes, holidays, money for nothing and your chicks for free…
The high of about 500 years of dominance, and the associated inward cash flow, is not easy to come down from.
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