Oui, this.
I'm no EU expert, but I seem to observe that the least motivated among them (Greece, Portugal, etc) gain the most from the relatively more productive members. An advance peek at globalism, btw.
EU members would all benefit from separate currencies, less interdependence among their economies, and airtight borders.
Smart members will be among the first to bolt, I highly suspect.
“I’m no EU expert, but I seem to observe that the least motivated among them (Greece, Portugal, etc) gain the most from the relatively more productive members.”
Yes and no. If they truly gained, other than for short terms, they would not be so bad off. But we know from a U.S. domestic policy perspective, that helping folks stay on the dole, again and again, does not help them dig themselves out of a hole you keep rescuing them from.
Portugal, among those you mentioned, was really not doing to bad. Their 2016 fiscal deficit was only 2.1% of GDP. The U.S. deficit to GDP ratio was 3.x% in 2016 and 4.x% in 2019. Think the U.S. cannot lecture Portugal on deficits.
When you have no one to blame, but your own policies, you either make the structural changes you need to make to get your domestic economy in better shape, and a more competitive trader, or else when you must borrow to serve your deficit spending and must pay “uncomfortable” interest rates to do that; you KNOW it is your fault and you have no excuses. We have a two-party duopoly in the U.S. that does not give damn about how much debt they accumulate in the name of the people.