Letters
France missed its chance to stop Brexit
Keeping the UK as a member was in the EU's interests
To the Editor,
I would like to take exception to 'PD' and his defence of Michel Barnier over Brexit.
The previous letter was right to argue that relatively modest concessions could have helped avoid Brexit.
That would have been in the interests of both the UK and the EU, yet Mr Barnier sent David Cameron home with little to show for his negotiations, increasing the likelihood of a Leave vote.
Supporters of the EU often ask why Brussels should have made an effort to accommodate the UK. The answer is simple: because keeping the UK as a member was in the EU's own interests.
Today, the EU faces major financial challenges, from funding Ukraine to repaying NextGenerationEU borrowing. Having the UK remain a contributor would undoubtedly have strengthened its finances.
Of course, EU supporters will argue that continued membership was also in the UK's interests. Yet the 2016 referendum showed that enough voters disagreed. Successful negotiations require compromise, and in my view the EU overplayed its hand.
I would not place all the blame on Mr Barnier personally. Rather, the EU's decision-making process meant no leader wanted to appear soft on the UK, with demands escalating until agreement became impossible.
The EU also continues to face structural problems, with member states often pursuing their own national interests ahead of the bloc's collective interests. Spain's decision to regularise large numbers of undocumented migrants is one example that has wider implications within the Schengen Area.
PD may be happy to have made France his post-Brexit home, and France has many positives. However, that does not alter my view that the EU, and Mr Barnier in particular, mishandled the negotiations that preceded Brexit.
JG, by email
Do you share the view that the EU overplayed its hand? Let us know at letters@connexionfrance.com
