The EU in 2019

The effects spread by Donald Trump’s successful climb to the White House, as well as the tension stemming from an increasing unstable multipolar global stage are continuing to reverberate across the world. Within this international context, the upcoming European elections have raised concerns about the political risks posed by the possible evolutions of the European Union. Indeed, the rise of both so-called “populist movements” across Europe, the doubts on the strength of the Franco-German axis revival, the EU’s economic performances and the East-West and North-South divisions on several crucial Pan-European questions have highlighted Europe’s mixed outlook for the year 2019. Will the new European Commission be able to give a new fresh start to the EU?

 Europe and the global stage

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Special Coverage

Brexit, and post-Brexit?

On the 8th of June 2016, the result of a UK general election, which resulted in a major setback for the Conservative party, was held, while, as of the 19th of June 2017, EU officials and UK Government representatives have started to engaged in official negotiations. On the deadline of the 29th of March, notably the time limit to conclude the first phase of negotiations between the two parties, the UK was unable to pass a vote in the House of Commons to grant Theresa May’s agreement or any other form of Brexit to be put forward. Meanwhile, on the 10th of April, the EU Council has extended the deadline for the agreement until the 31st of October. While the EU was willing to avoid a “Hard Brexit” scenario, commentators have underlined that this further layer of uncertainty for both the UK and the EU could have unexpected repercussion on both parties. The UK will, as a result, participate in the European elections, while the divisions among and within political parties, as well as between citizens and their representatives  continue to exabarcete the British political climate.

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