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I am working on a "geopolitical" novel in which Italy, Greece, and Turkey combine to form a "New Roman Republic." (Spain joins later.) These are self-consciously "Mediterranean" countries tht define themselves in opposition to a "Nordic" bloc.

Since World War II, has any major politician or political thinker in any of the above four countries called for a "New Rome" consisting of Italy plus at least one of the remaining three countries, but NOT including countries such as Germany and other "northern" countries that were not part of the original Rome.

Some definitions:

1) A "major politician" means a member of a national legislature, or the head of an entity (mayor of a city, governor of a province, leader of a political party) that is represented by at least one seat in a national legislature.

2) A "major political thinker" refers a university professor or higher.

Tom Au
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    What do you call the EU? – SoylentGray May 02 '13 at 20:08
  • @Chad: That's exactly the point. IMHO, "Italy" doesn't belong in such a large bloc. (And the original Rome could never digest "Germany.") Meaning that Italy might be better off with other Mediterranean countries in a bloc. But thanks, I edited the question for clarity, and upvoted your comment. – Tom Au May 02 '13 at 20:12
  • Greece and Turkey are antagonistic right now. After WWII there were bloody anti-Greek pogroms in Turkey. All three: Italy, Greece and Turkey have different religions with centuries-long antagonism and quite religious society. It is highly unlikely any politician would call for an alliance of these three countries. – Anixx May 02 '13 at 20:15
  • @Anixx: Good point.But you may feel free to leave out one, or even both, and focus on "Italy-Spain." And your "right now" doesn't include all of the last 68 years, which was the scope of the question. – Tom Au May 02 '13 at 20:17
  • @TomAu - Because the roman empire was a small thing? – SoylentGray May 03 '13 at 13:29
  • @Chad: Not "small." But more MEDITERRANEAN. Without "northern" countries such as Germany, Poland, Austria, Finland, and the Benelux and Baltic countries. (Unless you count England as such in the original Roman Empire.) Judging from the result, my governess was right when she told me (in the 1960s) that "You can't put the Germans under the same roof as [people like] the Italians." http://german.stackexchange.com/questions/1335/was-ist-der-unterschied-zwischen-gouvernante-und-kindermadchen/1336#1336 – Tom Au May 05 '13 at 21:08
  • Ruling over the majority of the known world for over 1k years is no small accomplishment. At this point though I think that people are wanting to move away from a centralised government. For that reason I doubt you will ever see a new "Rome" where a great power exists in one place arise unless it is at the hands of a dictator. – SoylentGray May 06 '13 at 12:28
  • @Chad - EU's main purpose was to square France and Germany's geopolitical ambitions (with the latter's being more impotant goal). Rome doesn't even remotedly begin to enter into it. – user4012 May 06 '13 at 20:19
  • @DVK - I guess I was thinking of rome as more of an idea than a specific location, with rome being the center of the universe(as far as the romans were concerned). Hitler wanted a new Rome in Berlin, Stalin wanted it in Moscow, Cheney wanted it in Washington DC... – SoylentGray May 06 '13 at 20:23
  • @Chad - Cheney wanted Rome? OK, that I gotta see proof of. – user4012 May 06 '13 at 20:24
  • @DVK - No I was saying that Cheney wanted to establish a new capitol of the world (Much like rome was to the romans) from which to conquer the rest of it. I doubt Cheney had any actual plans to accomplish this(as Hitler and Stalin did) but I Do not doubt he could see the America Empire in his mind. – SoylentGray May 06 '13 at 20:28
  • @Chad - how was Cheney specifically different in his ideas and plans from Kenneddy, LBJ, Clinton, Bush I, etc...? – user4012 May 06 '13 at 20:30
  • @DVK - It was a semifarsical comment let it go. – SoylentGray May 06 '13 at 20:34

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Greece and Turkey are antagonistic and always were so. After WWII there were bloody anti-Greek pogroms in Turkey. All three: Italy, Greece and Turkey have different religions with centuries-long antagonism and quite religious society. It is highly unlikely any politician would call for an alliance of these three countries.

That said, there is Latin Union, a loose alliance of Romance-speaking countries, which includes Italy, Spain, Portugal, France and Romania.

Anixx
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