Democracy Impacts

Britain Seeks Unique Post-Brexit Relationship with EU

September 01, 2016

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has confirmed that her government plans to negotiate a unique relationship with the EU following Brexit that will permit Britain to control immigration from the bloc while continuing its expansive trade of goods and services with EU member states, rather than an "off-the-shelf" model such as joining the European Economic Area.
EU Gun Proposals Meet Swiss Opposition

September 01, 2016

Business Insider reports that EU proposals to tighten regulation of gun ownership, which would apply throughout the passport-free Schengen Area in Europe, are facing strong opposition in Switzerland, which has widespread gun ownership and has traditionally allowed its military veterans to keep their assault rifles.
EU Seeks Reformed Tax Codes Through Apple Ruling

August 31, 2016

A Politico article describes how European Commissioner for competition, Margrethe Vestager, is using a demand for tech company Apple to pay billions of dollars to Ireland in owed taxes to move toward the centralization of EU tax policy without gaining the necessary unanimous consent of the bloc's member states.
Paper Calls for UK-EU "Continental Partnership"

August 31, 2016

A group of European academics, think tank leaders, and a politician has published a paper calling for the post-Brexit creation of a "Continental Partnership" that would retain the UK in a loose, EU-like structure of cooperation with EU member states that could also absorb Turkey, Ukraine, and other partner countries.
EU National Leaders Seek Common Army

August 31, 2016

Adding his voice to those of other Central and Eastern European national leaders calling for a bulwark against military threats by Russia and a force to control the bloc's migration crisis, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called for the creation of a "common European army."
Labour Candidate Pledges Push for Second EU Vote

August 30, 2016

UK Member of Parliament and candidate for the leadership of the Labour Party, Owen Smith, has pledged to attempt to block the UK from sending formal notice of its intent to leave the EU until Prime Minister Theresa May promises to hold a second vote on the UK's relationship with the EU, or a general election, at the end of the Brexit negotiation process.
Flemish PM Proposes New Union for Post-Brexit UK

August 30, 2016

Prime Minister of Flanders Geert Bourgeois has called for the development of a North Sea Union to maintain robust ties and promote economic cooperation between Britain and other Northern European countries following the UK's exit from the EU.
EU Intervenes in Greek Debt Statistics Case

August 29, 2016

The European Commission has sent a letter to Greek authorities criticizing the decision by the country's Supreme Court to reopen a case on whether the Greek statistics agency manipulated data on public debt to favor foreign creditors, asserting that the claims are "unfounded."
Warner: EU Leaders Misinterpret Brexit

August 29, 2016

Commentator Jeremy Warner writes in The Telegraph that EU leaders, including European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, are misunderstanding the reasons that British voters chose to leave the EU, arguing that at the heart of the decision was the failure of the euro currency.
Czech PM Supports Talks on EU Army

August 29, 2016

Bloomberg reports that Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka has called for talks on the creation of an EU army "in the long term" to deal with terrorism threats and Russian aggression as the UK leaves the bloc.