I don't think a division in formerly "united" Europe is that much of a stretch. There's already underlying tension there between the relatively affluent nations of northwestern Europe and the cash-strapped debtor nations of southern Europe. If countries like Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal were kicked out of the EU, or, more likely, countries like Germany, England, and the Netherlands opted out, there'd be rifts there that could be made to grow if the right stressors were put into play. At the moment, though, I'm not sure what those stressors might be. Perhaps a resurgent Russia makes a play to bring the poorer nations of Europe into its own sphere of influence. That could be made to work, I think.
What are some other factors that could lead to the disunion and polarization of Europe?
|