Europe lurches to the Right

[allegro]

Forgive my American-ness (and I remember when the EU didn't exist) but the EU is relatively "new" in history, wasn't it signed into force in 1993? Like, a little more than 20 years ago? Somehow I think, like, a year from now, people will forget this even happened.

I mean, this isn't as big as, say, leaving NATO or something. I think it comes down to what it represents more than what it actually is?

[slave2thewage]

but the EU is relatively "new" in history, wasn't it signed into force in 1993? Like, a little more than 20 years ago?

It was founded in 1957. Britain joined in 1973.

I mean, this isn't as big as, say, leaving NATO or something.

Nah, this is bigger. Europeans don't give a flying fuck about NATO in general - a good part of the continent isn't in it. Methinks you're seeing this through American eyes.

[allegro]

It was founded in 1957. Britain joined in 1973.

Nah, this is bigger. Europeans don't give a flying fuck about NATO in general - a good part of the continent isn't in it. Methinks you're seeing this through American eyes.

I guess I was talking about this.

In 1973, it was known as the European Economic Community.

Membership applications by the UK to join the EEC were refused in 1963 and 1967 because the French President of the time Charles de Gaulle doubted the UK's political will.

It is understood, however, his real fear was that English would suddenly become the common language of the community.

LOL

So it's been a true benefit, overall, to Britain, since 1973?

I know here in the U.S., voters are pushing to get OUT of a whole bunch of trade union agreements. I guess the same thing. This sort of "us vs. them" crap.

Now this shit is kicking our stock market's ass (but of course every time somebody farts, it affects our stock market).

Nah, this is bigger. Europeans don't give a flying fuck about NATO in general - a good part of the continent isn't in it. Methinks you're seeing this through American eyes.

Actually, heh, Americans don't like NATO, either, heh. We think we funnel way too much fucking money into it.

You are quite certainly still in NATO, though.

I'm not looking at this from a "voter's" view but from the "world" view, e.g. how to world leaders see it, or from an economic standpoint, or credit ratings and all that shit. Is this going to make things a lot worse?

[Khrz]

Nah, this is bigger.

Wayyy bigger, the economic, political and diplomatic ramifications will be felt for the years to come on a global scale. EU will be forced to change, thee will either be a shift of powers or a consolidation of the players in place, Russia will use it as a major play, so will Turkey... Lots of EU nations will wonder "what if", which will cause a lot of political movement...
What just happened is groundbreaking. Exiting NATO, in comparison, is a blip.

Edit : From an European standpoint anyway. But Americans will feel it too, and Trump has already (mis)used it as an argument. UK leaving the EU can be twisted, after all, to fit any and all narrative.

Is this going to make things a lot worse?

Well it's a huge destabilization, and if there's one thing that investors and banks don't like, it's uncertainty. So so far, that's not good. On the long run it's impossible to say, maybe the EU will sort its shit out without losing too many members, maybe the UK will manage to work it and make it through intact, maybe Russia won't try to take advantage of EU's sudden political weakness...

A lot of shit can go real south real fast, but maybe it just won't.

[allegro]

A lot of shit can go real south real fast, but maybe it just won't.

Thanks. I found this interesting article about it.

[Khrz]

Thanks. I found this interesting article about it.

... And that article only cites the UK-centric short-term consequences... It doesn't even touch the consequences for the EU itself.

The part about companies using UK as a bridge to the EU is a very important point, and England has a lot to lose in that regard. Since they've been tiptoeing from the beginning, I doubt they'll get a great deal out, which my be a huge issue for international companies who enjoyed the benefits of UK business laws while being able to sell anywhere in the EU where laws are more restrictive. Now, this incentive may be gone.