If Europe Turns Far Right: The Death of the Union and the Return of War

The European Union was not created for markets or bureaucracy alone. Its founding mission after 1945 was clear: to make war between European nations not only unthinkable, but materially impossible. The EU was a peace project first, an economic project second. But if far-right governments come to power across the continent, this foundation will crumble. The result would not be a calm return to national sovereignty, but a dangerous slide back into Europe’s oldest habit: conflict.

Nationalism Versus Integration

Far-right parties thrive on the slogan “our nation first.” In practice, this means no more compromises in Brussels, no more pooling of sovereignty, and no more binding rules that force cooperation. Each country would fight to defend its own industries, borders, and identity. Integration—whether economic, social, or military—would collapse under the weight of nationalism.

The problem is that a Europe of selfish nations is not a stable Europe. It is a competitive, suspicious, and ultimately hostile Europe.

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The Economic Fracture

Without shared rules, the single market would unravel:

• The euro would implode. A common currency cannot survive without trust and solidarity.

• Trade barriers would return. Each country would impose tariffs to protect its workers.

• Resource conflicts would intensify. Nations would compete over energy, agriculture, and migration routes.

Instead of cooperation, Europe would see a race to the bottom—a series of economic battles that lay the groundwork for political ones.

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The Security Vacuum

Today, the EU coordinates sanctions, defense spending, and even aspects of foreign policy. Strip that away, and each nation stands alone against global powers. Russia would exploit divisions, China would play countries against each other, and the United States under Trump might abandon Europe entirely. In such a vacuum, neighbors inevitably turn on neighbors. Hungary versus Romania, Italy versus France, Poland versus Germany: the list of dormant conflicts is long, and history suggests they will not stay dormant forever.

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Lessons from the 1930s

This is not speculation; it is precedent. The 1930s saw:

• An economic crisis that fueled nationalist anger.

• Governments that rejected cooperation in favor of sovereignty.

• The collapse of the League of Nations, which—like today’s EU—was meant to prevent war.

The outcome was not stability. It was the most destructive conflict in human history.

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A Europe Without the Union

If far-right governments dominate across the continent, the EU will not formally vanish overnight. Instead, it will wither:

1. Institutional paralysis. EU laws ignored, Brussels sidelined.

2. De facto disintegration. Borders close, currencies diverge, alliances fracture.

3. Conflict. Once trust is gone, disputes escalate into military clashes.

The union dies first on paper, then in practice, and finally in blood.

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The far right promises sovereignty, pride, and prosperity. In reality, it offers only isolation, suspicion, and instability. A Europe where every nation is alone is not a Europe at peace. It is a continent waiting for the next war.

The EU was built to end the cycle of nationalism and conflict. If that project is abandoned, history will not show mercy.