Brexit: the Dutch will lose much-needed ally

The British may be troublesome moaners but it’s better to have them aboard in Europe, writes Peter van Ham, a senior research fellow at the Clingendael institute of international relations.

The idea that a Brexit will rid the EU of a moaning troublemaker is naïve and dangerously short-sighted. Perhaps the EU will be able to speed up policy making on some issues. Smaller member states can support either Germany or France but that’s as far as it goes. For member states with different interests and traditions (which includes the Netherlands) a possible absence of Britain would mean a painful curtailment of diplomatic possibilities and, in the end, a blow to our democracy.

• Primary Source

Clingendael (Netherlands Institute of International Relations): Dutch influence in Europe declines after a Brexit, March 2016 http://www.clingendael.nl/publication/dutch-influence-europe-declines-after-brexit

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 07.10.15: The Netherlands: There is support for the UK’s renegotiation, but only up to a point http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2015/10/07/european-views-on-the-uks-renegotiation-france-the-netherlands-slovenia-and-latvia/#Two

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

---