The European Project: the future of the EU.

[Samson]

Not sure why everyone is worried that AfD will become Nazi-lite. Does Germany have the military power to invade other countries anymore?

Did they in 1923?

 

[Snowygerry]

From the article above :

And here’s who else turned out to be less popular than feared: Putin and Elon Musk. Musk, as my colleague Julianne McShane reported, campaigned hard for the AfD, and Putin’s courtship of them may have extended to paying one of their officials. But being the puppet of either an American billionaire or a Russian dictator is not a great look anywhere in Europe.

I can’t help thinking of my dad, who used to say that in any country, 20 percent of voters will vote for the nutbags, if nutbags are on offer. The big problem is when they sweep in a bunch of other folks.

That last part does not seemed to have happened in Germany, while it did happen in the US and Russia. The Germans seem to have voted in majority for the liberal conservatives, not the crazy conservatives.

 

[Kyriakos]

If you use nazi slogans and are in favor of the SS, you aren't to be described as "crazy conservatives". They are nazi.

If you don't believe me, ask your own self:

They're nazis they always clap, it is the herd mentality.

 

[Snowygerry]

Post involving the word "Nazi" should be deleted automatically from the internet

 

[Gorbles]

Those who don't learn from history, etc.

 

[Snowygerry]

Historians rarely use it - except when discussing actual historical events in Germany, it would be wise to follow that example, you can refer to the AFD as Neo-nazis if you want..

1. a member of an organization similar to the German Nazi Party.
   • a person of extreme racist or nationalist views.

But that opens a whole can of worms - none specific to the EU, or relevant to this thread.

 

[Kyriakos]

It is very specific to the Eu that far right parties are doing well, including actual nazi ones.
One might say this isn't what the Eu was supposed to be.
I fear some think that the Eu is to be defended not due to how it is but literally regardless of how it is - which is at the very least a bad idea.

 

[Snowygerry]

Not as well as in the US or Russia for example, in fact it could be said that the EU is the last refuge of liberalism now.

 

[Kyriakos]

That's the problem, that for some it boils down to "it's my team, so I will think it is better than that alien, evil other team". I am sure the 1940s nazis also thought that way, and so do the 2025 ones.

 

[Snowygerry]

That's your problem, not ours. Right now the biggest threats are Putinism and Trumpism, everything else is inconsequential by comparison.

Cries of "Nazis !" just obfuscate the issue.

 

[Kyriakos]

Quod erat demonstrandum.

 

[r16]

the Poles have rejected an European Army as they are not getting the Western Ukraine , have discovered they don't like a rump but unified Ukraine , they need America for round 2 hence Europeans suddenly discover they have Germany between their shining civilzation , a beacon of hope for Humanity and some vague Russian horde . True the word Nazi was cheapened in these last years . Also true Nazis are much in demand .

 

[Gorbles]

Historians rarely use it - except when discussing actual historical events in Germany, it would be wise to follow that example, you can refer to the AFD as Neo-nazis if you want..

Neo-Nazism - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There's a whole 70 year history of Neo-Nazism, whereby when not writing scholarly dissertations, "Nazi" is a pretty clear and obvious shorthand.

If you support banning words individual posters don't like, I have a list!

So sure, let's call the AfD effectively Neo-Nazis. It's an extra four characters every time and it makes little to no semantic difference, but sure.

That's your problem, not ours. Right now the biggest threats are Putinism and Trumpism, everything else is inconsequential by comparison.

There are many issues in the world, and while you're entitled to your opinion you can in no way force that (imo rather simplistic) binary on anyone else.

 

[Verbose]

the Poles have rejected an European Army as they are not getting the Western Ukraine , have discovered they don't like a rump but unified Ukraine , they need America for round 2 hence Europeans suddenly discover they have Germany between their shining civilzation , a beacon of hope for Humanity and some vague Russian horde . True the word Nazi was cheapened in these last years . Also true Nazis are much in demand .

BS — ever the agent of bad-faith.

What the Poles have discovered is that they have had absolutely nothing for trying to make themselves the most valuable US ally in Europe – since this Trump admin doesn't want European allies.

Les fachos are in Moscow and at the CPAC these days – and both sides are busy courting the European minority of these that there is. But sometimes it gets a little too much even for the Euro-fachos that there are:

https://www.reuters.com/world/frances-bardella-cancels-cpac-speech-over-bannon-nazi-salute-2025-02-21/

 

[Verbose]

This is dumb...

We a have a clear and present danger situation where Trump is joining Putin in a political reset to pre-1945 geopolitics of "spheres of influence".

And then we have posters here claiming the Poles – who have historically before everone else gone on the chopping-bloc – are just raring to join.

Or tired tropes about German reunification that would have made Maggie Thatcher proud.

Thatcher's European delusions

Margaret Thatcher's hostility towards an integrated Europe was no secret, but the extent of her isolation from the rest of the continent—even from her...

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk

As if nothing has actually happened here... And it's just being stupid.

 

[r16]

come on . Admit the cheapest way is keeping Ukraine in the war , angry at the treachery of Washington so that proper Europeans can sell that 500 billions of dollars of minerals to Americans .

 

[Snowygerry]

There are many issues in the world, and while you're entitled to your opinion you can in no way force that (imo rather simplistic) binary on anyone else.

A simple binary will suffice for the EU - you can practice nuance at home, if you need to manage a union of 20+ fiercely independent nation states some simplicity is required.

 

[Kyriakos]

A simple binary sufficing would have been indicative of a major downgrade.
Not that it will matter - the Eu didn't have its own policy even before the complete energy dependence on the US. To think it now will is just cloud-walking.

 

[Farm Boy]

A simple binary will suffice for the EU - you can practice nuance at home, if you need to manage a union of 20+ fiercely independent nation states some simplicity is required.

That'll need tamped down, at some point.

Our federal growing pains weren't great. We got a sledging down, instead.

 

[Snowygerry]

Well between them Russia is certainly the bigger threat, Trump is a dolt - whatever he's planning will likely fail, so we must be in a position to profit from that, Putin on the other hand is a raving madman he must be opposed at every turn.