The brexit negotiations: The next battleground for French-U.K. relations
In March 2017, following the successful referendum in the UK to leave the European Union in June of 2016, negotiations began to discuss the policies regarding the official exit of the United Kingdom with Theresa May’s declaration of Article 50. In recent developments associated with the Brexit negotiations, more ties have been seen between the UK and France than other member-states of the EU. Given the long history between France and the UK, it is clear that the Brexit negotiations have become the next battleground for UK-French unrest. This essay responds to the strength of the theory of intergovernmentalism within the context of the Brexit negotiations and how the leadership role established by France in the wake of Brexit is a phenomenon based on their economic interests, a desire to advance their position as an international actor, and their deep-rooted, historical discontent for one another. Through analyzing a series of most-read newspapers from both countries, the research has shown the battleground of French-UK relations as taking place in these three categories with national interests being more pertinent in the Brexit negotiations than international relations.
Intergovernmentalism, Brexit, International Organizations, European Union
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign