some commentators in various parts of europe have used the term "fourth reich" to point at the influence that they believe germany exerts within the european union. for example, simon heffer wrote in the "daily mail" that germany's economic power, further boosted by the european financial crisis, is the "economic colonisation of europe by stealth", whereby berlin is using economic pressure rather than armies to "topple the leadership of a european nation". this, he says, constitutes the "rise of the fourth reich." likewise, simon jenkins of "the guardian" wrote that it is "a massive irony that old europe's last gasp should be to seek ... german supremacy". according to richard j. evans of the "new statesman", this kind of language had not been heard since german reunification which sparked a wave of germanophobic commentary. in a counterbalancing perspective, the "charlemagne" columnist at "the economist" reports that the german hegemony perspective does not match reality.