Would it be possible for a stable and democratic alt-EU to exist with a mega-Germany?

This is more of an intellectual thought exercise as I know butterflies would mean lots of other differences. However if we can assume those butterflies are somewhat restrained (I know, I know) and that we get to the mid-20th Century with a Europe that is exhausted by war and now mainly liberal democratic but with a Germany that is much bigger than OTL. E.g. one that includes the Eastern territories, Bohemia, Austria and a somewhat Germanised Cisleithania.

Is an alt-EU - defined broadly as a voluntary coming together of democratic states in the name of shared values and peace - possible with a Germany that is so powerful? Or is it just too unbalanced to work? Again, imagine this Germany, while large, is democratic and committed to peace.
 

Skallagrim

Banned
NAFTA doesn't have the political union element, however.

You gave the definition "a voluntary coming together of democratic states in the name of shared values and peace". That fits a looser, EEC-like arrangement as well, doesn't it? The overwhelming power a Germany such as the one you describe would have would be an obstacle to political union. All other states would feel like they're just satellites. But a non-political union (free trade zone, tight co-operation, charter of shared values, NATO-like agreement of mutual military support...) could develop without serious problems. The biggest issue would be concincing various countries that joining is beneficial to them. Having it not be a political union would actually help there, as joining would feel less like giving up their independence.
 
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I'd argue that it would be possible, but the circumstances to how it would form would be the tricky part. There would have to be something that would be able to bring together the three main historical rivals of Europe (UK, France, and Germany) together in one economic and political union.
Perhaps WWI is avoided yet the Soviet Union is still formed and there comes to be a war between "capitalist" Europe and "communist" Europe which ends relatively ambiguously with the Soviet Union still a valid threat, forcing a closer union between western and central Europe - which would nonetheless have Germany be quite dominant.
 
You gave the definition "a voluntary coming together of democratic states in the name of shared values and peace". That fits a looser, EEC-like arrangement as well, doesn't it?

Sure, but NAFTA isn't even EEC. The EEC has had a customs union since 1958. NAFTA is not a customs union, and could not be because it would amount to Mexico and Canada surrendering their trade policy to the US.
 
It would be a natural extension of Mitteleuropa, but I don't know how tight the union might be. The United Kingdom likely wouldn't be a part of it (unless relations with the US were terrible and/or they had been directly invaded by Germany at some point)--assuming the UK still exists and the Germans haven't balkanised it by shearing off Ireland and Scotland. France might end up preferring to join the German-dominated union (and even without Alsace-Lorraine, they'd still be the #2 nation there), but they might go for some Anglo-French union instead. Russia would also not be a member and would be one of the key rivals. Even with this union, Germany is likely to be the weakest of the three superpowers (between them, Russia, and the US) by the second half of the 20th century, although stronger than the post-WWII British Empire.
 

Skallagrim

Banned
Sure, but NAFTA isn't even EEC. The EEC has had a customs union since 1958. NAFTA is not a customs union, and could not be because it would amount to Mexico and Canada surrendering their trade policy to the US.

True, the two are different beasts. I still think that something like the EEC could arise even with "super-Germany" involved, given the right circumstances. Something like the posty-Maastricht Treaty EU, however, seems far less credible to me under those circumstances.
 
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