Democracy Impacts

Swidlicki: Polish Election Sets Back EU Integration

October 30, 2015

Pawel Swidlicki of the think tank Open Europe writes that the victory of the somewhat euroskeptic Law and Justice Party in Poland could serve to signal the end of "ever-closer" integration within the EU and could help advance UK Prime Minister David Cameron's negotiations over the competences of the bloc.
Officials Seek to Circumvent EU Parliament on "Brexit"

October 29, 2015

POLITICO reports that UK and European Commission officials are looking for ways to "sideline" the European Parliament on issues, especially related to immigration, involved in negotiations between the UK and the EU in their negotiations to prevent an exit of Britain from the bloc.
Johnson: Reclaim Supremacy of UK Parliament

October 28, 2015

UK Member of Parliament Boris Johnson writes that the UK should re-establish the sovereignty of the British Parliament by amending the legislation it passed to join the EU to make clear that EU laws only control when Parliament has not "expressly and subsequently decided otherwise."
Hannan Proposes Acceptable Terms for UK-EU Renegotiation

October 27, 2015

UK Member of the European Parliament ("MEP") Dan Hannan has set out a list of proposed terms he argues Prime Minister David Cameron should send to EU leaders prior to the renegotiation of Britain's relationship with the bloc, including the re-establishment of sovereignty of the UK Parliament and the limitation of the influence of European judges.
President Sees ECJ as "Engine of European Integration"

October 27, 2015

In a recent interview, the newly elected President of the Court of Justice of the EU ("ECJ") Koen Lenaerts stated that the ECJ has been "the engine of European integration" for the last half century, since the Court established rules of "primacy" of EU law over national law.
Telegraph Reports Four-Pronged UK-EU Renegotiation

October 27, 2015

The Telegraph reports that the British Government will focus in its renegotiation of competences with the EU on exempting the UK from "ever closer union" and joining the euro, creating vetoes for groups of countries over EU legislation, and structural protections of the interests of non-eurozone countries.
UK Parliament Committee Examines EU Debate

October 27, 2015

The UK Parliament's Treasury Select Committee has announced that it will produce a report examining the financial and economic consequences of Britain's membership in the EU and the potential implications of the UK's leaving the bloc.
UK Euroskeptics Launch "Vote Leave" Campaign

October 15, 2015

A wide-ranging group of euroskeptics in the UK, including business leaders and politicians, has launched a "Vote Leave" campaign that is prepared to campaign for Britons to vote to leave the EU if the campaign views Prime Minister David Cameron's negotiated reforms with the bloc as insufficient.
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.