Brexit and the Distribution of Power in the Council of the EU

Abstract:

Voting in the Council is done according to the ‘double majority’ rule: For a proposal to pass, approval by 55% of the member states is required, which at the same time must represent 65% of the population of the EU.

If a country leaves the Union, the share of any other country both with respect to the number of states and with respect to the number of citizens will increase.

Thus, it would seem evident that the relative influence of a member state in the Council would increase after another member state leaves. Similarly, if a new country joins the Union, then all the other member states should lose power as a result of transferring a part of their power to the new member.

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