As much as I enjoyed former French president Nicholas Sarkozy’s colorful assessment of Obama and heartily disliked his open mike remarks about Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, it wasn’t a huge surprise when Sarkozy lost his reelection bid.
Last month, however, Sarkozy announced he’s running for president again, and it seems that he has landed on Brexit as among the key issues of his campaign. Indeed, Sarkozy has pledged to help the UK reverse its decision to leave the EU.
The International Business Times reports:
Sarkozy claims he would reform the EU with German counterpart Angela Merkel, thus making it possible for the UK to organise another vote on whether to remain.The decision to vote Brexit in June 2016 caused huge shocks round the world, but the UK will remain a member until Article 50 is triggered by Theresa May, who became Prime Minister following David Cameron’s resignation in the aftermath of the historic result. The PM has already ruled out triggering Article 50 in 2016 and has yet to confirm when it will take place.Now, Sarkozy – who was France’s president between 2007 and 2012 before losing to François Hollande – says if elected a second time in May 2017 he will immediately set to work to bring the UK back into the European fold.
How does he plan to accomplish this feat? By enlisting the help of deeply-unpopular German leader, Angela Merkel.
The IBT continues:
Sarkozy said that he would fly to Germany to meet with Angela Merkel the day after his election, before flying straight on to London to say a new treaty had been agreed.”I would tell the British, you’ve gone out, but we have a new treaty on the table so you have an opportunity to vote again,” Sarkozy is reported to have told the Financial Times in an interview.”But this time not on the old Europe, on the new Europe. Do you want to stay? If yes, so much the better. Because I can’t accept to lose Europe’s second-largest economy while we are negotiating with Turkey over its EU membership. And if it’s no, then it’s a real no. You’re in or you’re out.”Sarkozy said the Schengen agreement would need to be reformed, potentially making it more difficult for migrants to reach the UK – mostly via Calais, where he has pledged to remove the so-called “Jungle.” Privileges for European Commission would be restricted, he added, but the euro zone would be integrated further – a promise Euro-sceptics would not welcome.
Merkel, however, doesn’t seem to be on board with this plan.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert said the German government still considered the Brexit vote irreversible, according to the news agency.
When we see a report of Prime Minister Teresa May’s response, we’ll provide an update. However, her refrain has been “Brexit means Brexit,” and that seems unlikely to change.
[Featured image via BBC News]
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