Antonio Tajani: What next? Das Vierte Reich?

Antonio Tajani: What next? Das Vierte Reich?

For the President of the European Parliament to make territorial claims that affect various countries in the European Union is a deeply worrying development. 

Let us remembers that World War Started as a serious of territorial claims were made that led directly to the opening salvos of World War Two.

In 1938, meeting in München, Germany, Prime Minister Chamberlain and others started the process of disintegration that was the starting point. Germany claimed the Sudetenland then part of the new formed Czechoslovakia in what was known as the München Pakt. When Poland didn't agree to return to Germany the so called Polish Corridor - lands that were given to Poland after World War One that cut off Eastern Prussia from the rest of Germany - the escalation led to September 1st 1939.

After World War Two, Germany suffered massive territorial losses when most of Prussia was given to Poland. Now, the President of the European Parliament Antonia Tajani lays claim to two Italian provinces that were given to Slovenia and Croatia and talks about Italians that were murdered at the end of World War Two.

The danger for the European Union is not just the fact that Britain is leaving the European Union and that others might be on their way out of the European Union. If present members of the European Union lay territorial claims that affect the territorial integrity of other members of the European Union this creates a very dangerous precedent.

Not content with getting a big chuck of Germany, some Polish politicians are claiming additional reparations for the invasion of 1939 and following developments. If national borders are once again disputed, we must brace ourselves for the worst.

This coincides with rising instability in many European countries that happen to be members of the European Union. Statements like statements made by Antonio Tajani are bound to promote territorial claims that will set EU countries against each other. The President of the European Parliament has spoken against Nationalism and Populist movements in several occasions but his remarks do a lot to promote Nationalism and Populist movements.