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Could UKIP take us to war with Germany

Obviously Germany doesn't want to lose the UK, because then it's influence might be diminished in Europe but also it would have to do more of the heavy lifting propping up the EU project.

Let's say UKIP get what they want and Britain decides to pull out the EU could Germany retaliate in some measure as a punishment?
Reply 1
UK exports a lot to Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium pretty much every European country, it would be suicide for Germany to respond with any sort of protectionism.

Amusingly Britain imports more from Russia than we export... stupid Cameron playing ideological politics when we have an economic crisis.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 2
Original post by perfectsymbology
Obviously Germany doesn't want to lose the UK, because then it's influence might be diminished in Europe but also it would have to do more of the heavy lifting propping up the EU project.

Let's say UKIP get what they want and Britain decides to pull out the EU could Germany retaliate in some measure as a punishment?


The simple is 'No'. The northern European countries (Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Poland and Finland) have tended to support the UK over the years in terms of wanting more trade deals, supporting the budget cut we wanted (actually the Netherlands wanted a far bigger one) and in the event of a EU exit would likely want as open an arrangement with the UK as possible.

The problem in Europe is the power block (at a council level) of Spain, France and Italy. They are much happier with protectionism, their vision of Europe is much less capitalistic and it is these countries who would possibly tell us to get stuffed properly and not give into our demands in exit negotiations. They also stand to gain from a UK exit since they want much deeper EU integration on stuff the UK does not like.
I think an EU exit would probably spell doom for the EU because if the UK is doing much better economically outside the EU being able to control their own currency then the continentals will want out as well, but yeah carry on with your typical British conspiracy theory bull****.
(edited 9 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by perfectsymbology
I think an EU exit would probably spell doom for the EU because if the UK is doing much better economically outside the EU being able to control their own currency then the continentals will want out as well, but yeah carry on with your typical British conspiracy theory bull****.


I doubt it. It's pretty obvious already that some countries are successful outside the EU so while i see some leaving over time, i fully expect a core of 10-20 states to remain, probably forever now and become properly federal.
Original post by perfectsymbology
Obviously Germany doesn't want to lose the UK, because then it's influence might be diminished in Europe but also it would have to do more of the heavy lifting propping up the EU project.

Let's say UKIP get what they want and Britain decides to pull out the EU could Germany retaliate in some measure as a punishment?


Germany doesn't really care if Britain leaves. They want to gain part of Britain's financial sector and they want open access to the UK for their goods. However any block to German power is removed if the UK leaves in the short term. So German can benefit from the UK leaving.

If Britain leaves the EU Germany can't act to harm Britain because it is constrained within the EU. Any actions should be EU actions. So there is nothing Germany could do. The EU could do something though, however such actions would be limited because agreement would be almost impossible to get. The French, Spanish and so on could put hard for Britain to be hit, the Germans, Dutch and Polish would bring them in.
so really what you're asking whether GERMANY would go to war with a UKIP-led UK, seeing as it can't enforce these punishments other than though aggressive means. nice little spin you've got going there.
Reply 7
UKIP don't want a war with Germany, they want out of the EU. Germany can't force the UK to stay in the EU and even if they decided armed force was necessary, America would probably declare war on Germany in support of the UK. Germans are too smart to declare war on a nation allied with America.
Original post by Jemner01
UKIP don't want a war with Germany, they want out of the EU. Germany can't force the UK to stay in the EU and even if they decided armed force was necessary, America would probably declare war on Germany in support of the UK. Germans are too smart to declare war on a nation allied with America.


The United States wants a fully integrated EU. They do not want Britain to withdraw and disrupt affairs in the United States largest satellite state. American foreign policy in the past 20 years has consistently pushed to move away from Britain as a partner and more towards the EU.
Reply 9
Original post by jf1994
This is the stupidest thread I've seen in a long, long time.


I just got here.. Care to fill me in? :tongue:

I love Germany... I hate UKIP...
Original post by katbob
I just got here.. Care to fill me in? :tongue:

I love Germany... I hate UKIP...


Farrage is married to a German woman.
Reply 11
Original post by MatureStudent36
Farrage is married to a German woman.


Well, damn, no wonder he hates Germany then :/

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