Countries most likely to unite/split in our lifetime

[The Vagabond]

Originally posted by DanS
Edited in Russia/Belarus as unified.

That's hardly possible. To Russia, the only acceptable way of unification is for Belarus to become a part of the Russian Federation. Belarus will never agree to that. To Belarus, the only acceptable way is the USSR scenario, i.e. formation of a union state where both Russia and Belarus are just republics. Russia can't accept that.

[Mr. President]

Originally posted by Tattila the Hun


Jeez, if they got Mechas, they're strong enough, in my book. Imagine the firepower... :drool:

Not Mecha, MECha. May-cha. Learn some English!

[Impaler[WrG]]

In regards to all proposed European splits/mergers.

I would think that the likly senario will be one inwhich the Central E.U. Goverment slowly strengthins and becomes more a Confederation of hundreds of Provinces rather then a handfull of states. So Scotland will send its representatives, Wales will send some, Each Province of France, Germany and Italy will send their ect ect. The National Goverments will still exist and these representatives and deligates will still likly be funneled through this layer but it will become incressingly symbolic. This would seem to be the natural situation because everyone can "win", European nations have always had well defined and destinct Provinces and regions with destinct cultural differences. A degree of Freedom from their traditonal National goverment will please seperatist as long as Brussels is not too strong and the economy stays good. At the same time the unifiers get the Central EU goverments to exceed or equal National goverments in power. Basicaly national goverments losse as they are incressingly squezed by provincial independence from below and Brussels from above. Thus all European nations are both split and merged to a degree.

[Combat Ingrid]

I read somewhere that in a poll in Belarus, some 60% said they would vote "yes" to join Russia. In the same poll, some 60% said they would vote "yes" to join the EU.
Something tells me they're not very happy with their current government

[Mazarin]

Impaler[WrG], that's the only way the EU can work in the long term, imo (not hundreds of regions though...30-40 could be enough)

[Impaler[WrG]]

Marzan: How many provinces/regions do countries like France, Germany and Italy have. I Had always thouth it to be aobut 100 each. Thus the total would be several hundread for all of Western Europe. Thats rougly equal to the number of Representivies in the US lower House or in the parliments of most European countries yes? If its limited to 30-40 Regions total then your looking at only 3-4 regions per country which is much to small to match the pre-existing Province structure in most European States. Do you think it more likly that new districts would be created that are roughly equal in population or that pre-existing provinces will be used with varrying numbers of deligates to acount for population varriations?

[OliverFA]

It seems very unlikely to me that those "provinces" with recent gained sovereignty would happily give it to the central EU government. No, if any current European state splits the new state won't want to give their new adcquired identity. Probably they agree to rejoin EU, but only as long as it stays as a loose less-than-federation.

On the other hand, as long as some states continue to try to convert EU in a way to increase their power and effectively conquer the other European countries (France, Germany) that project will never succeed.

[Ecthy]

Germany will finally unite, bringing the New Reichsmark (euro) to all of Europe

[Mazarin]

Impaler, hundreds of provinces seems to be inefficient to me, because I want them to be able to act actively and independently on many subjects (e.g. infrastructure, parts of taxation, culture). To be able to do that, a certain "critical size" will be needed, probably an average of 5-10 mill. people at least.

[VetLegion]

Kosovo could formally become an independant state - I don't think Kosovars would like to join Albania that much.

Macedonian Albanians could also some day split up.

Bosnia - you never know with Bosnia.

[chequita guevara]

Plus the Albanians don't want Kosovo.

[VetLegion]

Why not? I'd bet it has a better GDP/capita than Albania proper.

[chequita guevara]

Because Albania has a significant Christian minority and they don't want to be swamped by Muslims. Also, the Kossovars are of a different "tribe" than the majority of Albanians in the South.

[Ecthy]

Austria is a different tribe from the rest of Germany, yet we still want them

[MrFun]

Just like United States will always want to keep Texas -- in spite of the people that live in that state.