The EU Just Had Its Battle of Adrianople, Expect Some Vhange

In the early hours of December 19, a historic battle has been fought in the halls of the EU’s ivory tower. Leaders of the European consensus, representing the Empire had taken up arms against outsiders, the barbarians. The barbarians won.

The Imperial EU, at the behest of Germany, wanted the EU to approve its plans on the frozen Russian assets and on the Mercosur trade agreement, two controversial subjects that would benefit Germany but risked harming many barbaric member states. The member states rose in resistance and halted the Germans. This will prove highly consequential.

Commentators love to use analogies referring to the Second World War, mostly due to a lack of imagination, historical knowledge and taste. More broadly, historical analogies are often forced and contrived, missing nuance, context and insight. But because of the results of the Council meeting of December 18 and 19, a comparison with the disintegration of the Roman Empire merits a thought.