The Empire Returns

Europe’s Desperate Return to Empire

With the U.S. burning bridges and turning inward, Britain and Europe, under pressure, may revert to their colonial instincts—exerting influence and extracting more from former colonies in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. These regions remain deeply entangled with European economic, political, and military interests, making them easy targets for renewed exploitation.

Lest we forget, European empires never willingly relinquished their colonies after WWII. Decolonization was not an act of goodwill but a forced retreat under U.S. pressure. Britain clung to Kenya, Malaya, and Aden; France waged brutal wars in Algeria and Indochina; Portugal refused to leave Angola and Mozambique until the 1970s. The imperial mindset never truly disappeared—it simply adapted.

Now, with Europe’s economic stagnation, energy insecurity, and declining global influence, the temptation to reassert control over old territories is growing. We see it in France’s continued military presence in West Africa, Britain’s strategic overtures in the Gulf and Pakistan, and Europe’s tightening grip on African trade and resources. The supposed ‘postcolonial’ order is eroding, and a desperate Europe may resort to desperate measures.

The history is on repeat.