Germany on Brexit: the dispute over a two-speed Europe is back

Brexit has triggered a significant dispute inside the government coalition in Germany over the policy they should adopt in the EU. The Social Democrats, motivated by the needs of the campaign in the run up to next year’s election to the Bundestag want to build a ‘hard core’ and to enhance EU integration in the areas of security, migration policy and currency union. However, the person who will have the biggest say will be Chancellor Angela Merkel, and she wants the EU to stand united in negotiations on future co-operation with the United Kingdom, and also has adopted a wait-and-see stance until the new British government launches the procedure for leaving the EU under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. Merkel will most likely aim for Britain to be presented tough conditions, worse than the ones they have as an EU member state. At the same time, she will make efforts to maintain strong economic bonds between the United Kingdom and the EU in order to reduce the losses the German economy may sustain due to its strong links with Britain.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Holding Europe together [The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results. Reaction in Germany] http://www.europeansources.info/record/holding-europe-together-the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results-reaction-in-germany/

ECFR: Commentary, 18.08.16: Germany and the UK: Hints of a role reversal http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_germany_and_the_uk_hints_of_a_role_reversal_7072

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