Newswise — Daniel Kelemen, a Rutgers University–New Brunswick professor of political science who is an expert in E.U. politics, is available to comment on the latest developments of Brexit. At 11:01 p.m. GMT (6:01 p.m. EST) today, Britain will become the first country to leave the European Union.
“The EU would have been better off if ‘Remain’ rather than ‘Leave’ had won the 2016 Brexit referendum,” said Kelemen. “But given that ‘Leave’ won -- albeit through lying and violating campaign laws -- and given the turmoil in British politics in the wake of the referendum, it is best for the EU now that the United Kingdom leaves. Brexit is a tragedy, but it has provided the EU with a surprising boost in public support. Already, the political chaos and economic damage associated with Brexit has reminded people of the benefits of membership and demonstrated why leaving the EU is such a bad idea. Even right wing populists no longer talk about leaving the EU, but instead simply about reforming it from within. Ultimately, Brexit will underline that the EU is a voluntary union of sovereign member states who are free to leave, but that leaving has profound costs because membership has great benefits.”
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