Some very interesting comments from former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt:
"What are you waiting for? When will the Council recognise that this type of EU - you cannot defend it any more. Europe needs to be reformed... European citizens are not against Europe, they're against this Europe."
Wisest words I've heard from anyone. I would say this is so applicable to UK folks, yes, even the Brexit supporters...
Or can we all keep pretending that the EU is a candyfloss wonderland where all our dreams come true?
Totally agree with the Belgian PM. I don't think anyone thinks that the EU is great anymore. The major differences are whether you believe that it should exist or not and whether you can improve things from within or without. And let's face it, right now the UK is doing very little to persuade anyone of the benefits of its new found independence. But hopefully that will change.
I live in New Zealand but I grew up in Germany and England and am married to a Norwegian. So that's what my perspective is based on. I do visit Europe most years and I really feel that the dissatisfaction has been growing steadily all over Europe over the last 10 years. It just takes different forms in different countries but it's the same feeling of disillusion with authority and worry about the future. In Germany this is mostly directed at the government. In Britain, I feel that both Labour and Tories have used the EU as a scapegoat to distract from their own short-comings. Brits are the least informed Europeans in regards to EU matters. Sadly, it seems that this suited UK governments just fine. That is not to say that the EU is perfect. Far from it. But right now, it's obvious that the UK government is an even bigger shambles than the EU.
The lack of democracy in the EU got mentioned a lot too. I agree but think this was exaggerated. How democratic is the actual Brexit now? The people that took you there have disappeared and you have no say in who will lead Brexit or what direction it should take. You will most likely get a hardline Tory version that will strive to make Britain 'attractive' to business. And we all know what that means.
I think rather than wishing failure upon each other it's important for the people in the EU and the UK to work together to overcome these issues. It's time that people get involved in political processes again (beyond occasional protest votes) and for authorities to ensure that concerns are addressed. Easier said than done.
What worries me most about Brexit is that it shows that there now is an alarmingly large part of the population (all over Europe) that is easily swayed by populism and that is no longer interested in actual facts.
It's nice to be able to have this conversation without the obligatory nastiness that goes with it elsewhere. I understand that people in the UK must be sick of it by now but I appreciate everyone's views and hope that more people will contribute. After all, it is probably the most important political event of the last 50 years or so and the political decisions of the next 5 to 10 years will have far reaching consequences. I hope people rise to the occasion.
Sorry about the long post.
