You've been Toffee'd, Steven. Best give up while you still have some brain cells left
You could say that he’s talking about Imperialism but Germany isn’t trying to create an empire
The major feature of an empire is the ability to extract resources from the periphery to the metropole.
The EU is of course German dominated; it has been for some time and will be for the foreseeable future. As to whether the EU has become a kind of German imperial project that's a whole different subject. What I would say is that the 'Mitteleuropa' and 'limited sovereignty' plans adopted by the German High Command during WWI are interesting reading. I'm not alleging some kind of grand conspiracy, it's basically just pure luck that Germany has got to where it is.
Of course the EU will be dominated by the larger nations. That’s just the nature of the organisation. In principle each member has their own vote but bigger countries have more sway. That doesn’t mean Germany is intending to turn the Europe into the fourth reich or something. Each member state is going to prioritise their own interests above others. France does it, Germany does it, the UK does it. It may be wrong but that’s just how it is. Politicians all talk about cooperation but they’re all out for personal gain no matter which country they’re from.
Sure the EU needs reform. But it’s impossible to do that from the outside. The EU is not an empire, and is certainly a better option than going it alone. The EU is a very close trading partner and the trade we have is vital to British interests, especially considering Trump’s extreme protectionism.
