BEFORE BREXITEM
MIROSŁAW PIOTROWSKI
Great anxiety prevailed in the EU chambers. For the day of British referendum approaching with great strides. Citizens of the United Kingdom will vote for staying or leaving the European Union. Past surveys indicated that the minimal, yet the majority wants to remain in the EU structures. This trend, however, started to turn and pr-EU politicians started to respond so nervously. The first person who could not stand it was the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who broke her own promise that she would not speak in the pre-referendum campaign. In the face of danger she felt obliged to warn the British against the negative, especially economic consequences of the exit from the Union. The battle was joined to by the British Prime Minister David Cameron, encouraging citizens to vote for staying in the Union. However, he is in a very difficult situation, as the Conservative Party, led by him, got divided. Despite the will of the prime minister, five ministers from his government calls for leaving the Union and the European Parliament some of 21 British Conservative MEPs also opt for it.
Both sides did a huge work. Cameron even said that leaving the European Union by the UK "will increase the risk of the outbreak of World War." A different opinion is expressed by the former mayor of London, the Conserviatist from Cameron’s party, Boris Johnson, claiming that the European Union, like in the past Napoleon and Adolf Hitler, seeks to create a superstate. He added that it is a similar test, only that the EU has adopted other methods. He is supported by, among others, the Minister of Justice of the Cameron government, Michael Gove, arguing that after leaving the Union, the United Kingdom will "regain control" over the directions of its development. First of all, he notes that the European Union is a "machine destroying jobs." Supporters of leaving the EU indicate that the UK sends EU 350 million pounds every week and argue that their country can independently spend such huge funds in a more rational way.
Moreover, arguments about the "hidden financial interests" of many companies and EU decision-makers hit the fertile ground, as well as indication of the "unimaginable arrogance of European elites." As for the latter ones, it is noted that there is currently no real statesman in the European Union, an authority, to which supporters of Great Britain staying in the European Union could refer. The citizens will decide. Regardless of the outcome of the referendum, the Conservative Party has a chance for a victorious campaign, as in the case of the majority opting for staying, the triumph will belong to David Cameron, pushing Labour party activists to the margin, and in the case of the decision for leaving the EU, a natural leader and candidate for the future prime minister will be a conservative Boris Johnson, who will neutralize the main eurosceptic Nigel Farage of UKIP party. Consequences for other European Union countries will be more complicated.
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„Niedziela” 25/2016