The history of Europe is one of successive collapsed empires.
Some, such as the Roman, Holy Roman, Ottoman, and Austro-Hungarian empires,
simply overextended themselves and collapsed due to nationalist uprisings coupled with domestic political and economic inertia.
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Others, like the German Nazi, Soviet, Italian fascist, Napoleonic French, Spanish, and Portuguese empires
collapsed as a result of their military aggression and incessant subterfuge from external forces.
The European Union appears to be suffering from the same symptoms as those experienced by the first category of failed European empires:
over-extension,
a stagnant and bloated bureaucracy,
and economic collapse.
As Europe strives to become a more unified and federal union,
there has been a backlash from across its member states,
with a North-South divide and economic turmoil now threatening to bring down the whole house of cards.