Democracy Impacts

Hollande Acknowledges "Logical" Case for British EU Exit

October 14, 2015

The Telegraph reports that in recent remarks on the creation of powerful new EU institutions and common policies, French President François Hollande argued that if Britain does not wish "to participate in a common state," then it must leave the EU.
EU Official Discounts Political Debate on Migration

September 29, 2015

Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European Commissioner on migration issues, has highlighted the lack of political accountability of the EU institutions by stating in a recent interview that the Commission "does not care about the political cost" of requiring EU member states to take in large waves of migrants from abroad.
Paper: UK Backs Down from EU Employment Opt-out

September 02, 2015

The Daily Mail reports that the UK Prime Minister David Cameron will step back from demanding that Britain be exempt from most EU employment laws as part of the country's renegotiation of competences with the bloc, instead focusing on opting out of the EU directive that limits the number of hours people can work.
Elliott Highlights Differences Between "Europe" and "EU"

August 26, 2015

Matthew Elliott of the group Business for Britain has called for those debating the referendum on the UK's membership in the EU to respect the difference between "Europe" and the institutions of the European Union, arguing that a Britain departing the EU would still remain part of Europe even as it found new trading partners in a "globalised world."
Eyal Sees Pause in "Ever-Closer Union"

August 26, 2015

Dr. Jonathan Eyal writes that due to popular backlash against EU economic policies and political integration, the EU's long phase of "ever-closer union" has ended.
Oxley: UK Can Avoid "Erosion" of EU Renegotiation Agenda

August 26, 2015

Robert Oxley of the organization Business for Britain writes that UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who Oxley says has recently been downplaying the terms of his renegotiation of EU competences, can still save this renegotiation by sticking to his original terms for the deal and by being prepared to campaign for an EU exit if the negotiation is not successful.
Denmark Plans Referendum to End EU Defense Opt-outs

August 07, 2015

Reuters reports that the Danish Government is planning to hold a referendum to decide whether to end the country's current opt-outs from the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy, which would permit the country to engage within the EU framework on joint military operations and developing new military capabilities.
Juncker Threatens Mandatory EU Resettlement Policy

August 06, 2015

Calling on politicians to ignore "populist" responses to the resettlement of waves of migrants within the EU, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned that if the EU's voluntary resettlement plan failed to find a place for its target of 40,000 migrants, the Commission would bring back a policy of mandatory resettlement later this year.
Bandow: Greek Crisis Exposes EU Failings

August 06, 2015

Doug Bandow of the Cato Institute writes that the Greek financial crisis and subsequent additional bailout of the country may result in the unraveling of the "European Project," as Europeans realize that EU centralization comes at the expense of their popular sovereignty.
Paper: German Minister Seeks Brussels Power Shift

July 31, 2015

Citing anonymous Brussels diplomats, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has reported that German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble wishes to take some powers from the European Commission, such as competition and internal market oversight, and hand them to independent authorities.