Brexit - the EU membership crisis that wasn't?

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• European Studies

Background:

• The UK's 2016 referendum vote to leave the European Union (EU) sparked fears of further fragmentation and a domino effect within the EU.
• Initial concerns in EU capitals and Brussels centered on the potential for a cascading membership crisis and the destabilization of the EU polity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the EU's response to the Brexit referendum and the subsequent containment of a potential membership crisis.
• To challenge the notion that initial alarms regarding EU fragmentation were unfounded.
• To explore the theoretical implications for understanding the EU as a resilient, yet potentially fragile, political entity.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of the EU's political and institutional responses post-Brexit.
• Review of scholarly contributions examining the EU's collective efforts and demonstrated unity.
• Theoretical examination of the EU's capacity to manage membership challenges and assert authority.

Main Results:

• Despite initial fears, the EU-27 exhibited remarkable unity and effectively contained the Brexit-induced membership crisis.
• Eurosceptic triumphalism rapidly diminished, countering predictions of EU fragmentation.
• The study reveals the EU's capacity to assert porous borders and mobilize loyalty during integration regime threats.

Conclusions:

• The EU demonstrated resilience in managing the Brexit challenge, showcasing its ability to maintain political cohesion.
• While the immediate crisis was averted, the potential for future membership challenges remains, highlighting the EU's inherent fragility.
• The findings support a theoretical understanding of the EU as a dynamic polity capable of asserting authority and mobilizing loyalty under pressure.