AHC: spread of non-nationalist republicanism in 19th-century Europe

Republicanism has always been connected with nationalism: as aristocratic and religious power decreased, power began to be centralised to kingdoms and kings - and with it grew a hatred towards kings. Would it be possible, however, to form republicanism in a non-nationalist way, leading to functional multinational states in the 19th century(i.e. republicanist Austrian Empire)?
 
Republicanism has always been connected with nationalism: as aristocratic and religious power decreased, power began to be centralised to kingdoms and kings - and with it grew a hatred towards kings. Would it be possible, however, to form republicanism in a non-nationalist way, leading to functional multinational states in the 19th century(i.e. republicanist Austrian Empire)?

Maybe a successful 1848 Revolution leads to a more liberal-democratic German Empire and a reformed federal Austrian Empire with autonomous regions. Maybe nationalist rhetoric wields down everywhere and the sovereignity of all peoples is accepted. Switzerland, USA etc. had already accepted the new German constitution. ( for example Poles in East of German Empire). Problems are all the revanchist action, that let the project fail. But also nationalist sentiment and xenophobic rhetoric was virulent, different nationalist interests could collide everywhere and destroy a peaceful new order in Europe.
 
The problem is, by their nature, nations need a sense of identity in order to stay socially cohesive. Under the old regime, that wasent an issue; faith and dynasty were common factors linking the different parts of the Empire together... but let's take the Hapsburgs for example. Once you've stripped the Emperor of his splendor and divine right and pushed the Church out of politics, why would say a Czech and Austrian identify as "the same" in a way that's destinct from how they might veiw any forgeiner? "Austria" wouldn't have much to justify itself with at its current extent, and what arguments/justifications could it present to Nationalists as to why they should identify with it over their specific ethnic group?
 
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