They could have just let it be an economic club for free trade with partner/member states, but no, the statist pull for the centralization of concentrated power was too much of a temptation to resist.
Now it’s biting them in the arse.
Britain’s Departure Likely to Cost EU Billions
At a summit in Bratislava this week, the EU wants to set the course for its future without Britain. One important issue is likely to be ignored by European leaders: The fact that Brexit is going to be expensive for Europe, especially for Germany.
British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin
There are times when politics mirrors real life. Nobody knows that better than European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, a man who makes no secret of the fact that he has a wealth of experience, both privately and professionally.
That’s why he has a very concrete idea for how the Europeans should act as Britain departs the European Union. “When your girlfriend leaves you, you shouldn’t gaze after her forever,” he recently quipped to a group of people close to him. “At some point, it’s time to start looking around at other girls.”
The Commission chief’s analogy, however, overlooks an important point: A relationship is easier to dissolve if the couple hasn’t been married. When a decades-long marriage ends, though, the split can get very complicated indeed — and sometimes it is extremely expensive for one of those involved.
That also applies to the 40-plus year liaison between Britain and the EU. On June 23, a majority of British voted to end their membership in the European Union, a decision that was of global significance. The shockwaves that the British vote unleashed through European capitals and Brussels have anything but subsided.
Life Goes On?
More here. H/T: Gaia
