Amongst ‘black swan’ events being forecast for 2018 is that Poland might bale from the EU, given the fraught collision between Brussels and the Polish government over judicial meddling. Relations will certainly move from the high-temper of the moment to complete upheaval from late March. Tr Uranus opposes the composite Mars at the moment and tr Pluto begins a two year square to the composite Uranus in March. There is a slight possibility of a complete rupture come 2019 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Sun then. Though given that Germany is Poland’s largest market it would be a self-destructive move.
The EU is moving into the great unknown this year having to carve out a budget without the UK contribution in future years, which means cutting spending and landing ever heavier demands on the net contributors – France, Germany, Italy and Spain. With Merkel’s popularity continuing to slide and her successors being openly discussed, there may be even less willingness from Germany to dole out more cash.
It was always the intriguing question of what Germany’s relationship to the EU would be especially through 2019 into 2020. At that point on their relationship chart, tr Saturn will be in opposition the composite Pluto and conjunct the Sun (late Dec 2018) and then conjunct Mercury which will certainly douse cold water on good feelings; with tr Uranus from this July starting to seriously rattle the composite Grand Cross of Venus opposition Uranus square Mars opposition Moon. And that will create a serious amount of disruption for three years. Given the history of the EU (founded to prevent another European war) the relationship was always tightly bound together. That’s certainly reflected in the chart with a composite Earth Grand Trine, focussed onto a Kite by Sun opposition Pluto – making Pluto in the 10th the driving planet. It would take a seismic upheaval for it to part. But without Merkel, all bets are off as to what comes after her.
It is just possible that instead of Macron’s grand idea of closer federation that the EU becomes two-speed, with a looser outer core of the eastern European countries perhaps following a UK model (if it gets agreed) with access but not bound by Brussels rules and regulations. But Macron himself looks deflated, his hopes dented, with tr Neptune square the Mars on his presidency chart from April onwards. Interesting times ahead.
If Poland is insignificant, “Two Speed” is not going to happen. It always was an idea put there to appease Central Eastern Nations reluctant to comply to Judical demands coming with EU membership.
Big contributors to The EU budget mentioned here aren’t the ones to suffer from The Brexit the most, either, in general. They already were “net payers”. They have political muscle to not make it too demanding. I’m thinking we’ll see smaller and newer EU countries suffer there, again. This plays into Putin’s hand, because he wants to be seen as “The Good Guy” in the region. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was the Kremlin Game all along with Brexit – they definitely wanted to use it to destabilize EU (as well as end Sanctions that were really taking a toll in their economy).