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Somehow I can't see that happening in the next 5 years. As of next year, several former Eastern European states are joining the EU, which alters the balance of power in the EU significantly.
Up to now the EU has effectively been run by France and Germany, with other countries having to accept what they decide.
Common foreign policy? Don't make me laugh - we've discussed this before but if you consider how the enlarged EU would have voted on the war in Iraq (each country gets x votes based on some arcane formula), there would have been a slight majority in favour of the US.
Would France or Germany have accepted this?
European army? Popular with the French and Germans, but deeply unpopular with the British, as in what circumstances would this be used?
Federal Europe? Again very popular with the French and Germans, as this would help to preserve their influence. However the UK is highly unlikely to join the common European currency, as once you do that, you loose control of the ability to manage your countries economy (the UK is doing significantly better than the rest of the EU, as a direct result of setting its own interest rates etc.). Inevitably this leads to a Federal superstate.
I can't see these fundamental differences being sorted out in the next 5 years.
I dont want to be a smart-allick here, but you must have misread my statement? It is very important that i clarify, i didnt say any of this would happen in the next five years!, i said" no-one thought that the U.N was irrelevant just 5 years ago!!"