The First Exit

Will this “core group” consist of ten nations in a new kingdom with ten kings, as Bibically prophesied in Revelation 13: 1,2 and Daniel 7? Only time will tell.

LONDON/BERLIN (Own report) – The British people’s vote yesterday to take their country out of the EU is shaking up the EU, and Berlin’s plans to use the EU for its own hegemonic policies. With a 72 percent turnout, 52 percent of the British voters opted to wave good-bye to the EU. This vote has a major impact on Berlin, not only because Europe’s second largest economy – after Germany’s – and a prominent military power will be leaving the EU and therefore no longer be available for German hegemonic policies imposed via the EU. It also can lead to a domino effect. Calls for referendums are being raised in other EU member countries. In several member countries, the EU’s growing unpopularity is reinforcing centrifugal forces. The Swedish foreign minister has explicitly warned of a “spill-over effect” that could lead to a Swedish EU exit. In the German media, demands are being raised to simply ignore the referendum and let the British parliament vote in favor of remaining in the EU. Berlin has already begun reinforcing its national positions – independent of the EU.

Momentum Halted

…

Call for Referendums

…

Negative Assessment

…

“Ignore the Will of the People”

The growing rejection of the EU is particularly significant because the methods used until now by pro-EU functionaries of major political parties to neutralize EU-critical segments of the population are no longer effective in referendums. Yesterday in Great Britain, for example, traditional Labor Party strongholds turned in a clear majority for the Brexit, while Labor’s parliamentary group in the Lower House, polled only seven of its members clearly favoring leaving the EU – 215, on the other hand, were energetically in favor of remaining. In Germany, demands are being made to simply ignore the referendum’s results. Tuesday, Thomas Kielinger, the London correspondent for the daily “Die Welt,” wrote that the Prime Minister may be bound by the results of the referendum, however, not the parliament. “Could it be that … in the case of a Brexit, the Lower House could consider to ignore the will of the people and turn down withdrawing from the EU?” Kielinger predicts that this is “not only thinkable, but it’s even probable.”[6] “Of the 650 parliamentarians, 455 are in favor of remaining in the EU, 130 for leaving, and 65 undecided. Expressed in percentages: 70 percent Remain, 20 percent leave, and 10 percent noncommittal.” The EU could be saved with a parliamentary vote. Recently, German media organs have openly expressed their opposition to referendums along these lines. One example was the media commentary that it is wrong to believe that “direct democracy, per se, is a good thing.” (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[7])

Domino Effect

This commentary was made in connection with the April 6 referendum, in the Netherlands on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. A majority oppose the agreement. A few days later, the Dutch national parliament simply chose to disregard the referendum results, saying it was “non-binding.”[8] However, this does not eliminate the EU establishment’s worries. In the Netherlands, it is currently possible to impose a referendum, if 300,000 signatures are collected within six weeks – which is not considered impossible. Although referendums may only relate to new laws, and not, for example, to EU membership, observers have noted that currently only 45 percent of the population of the Netherlands are still in favor of remaining in the EU, while 48 percent are for withdrawing.[9] This signifies that in one of the EU founding member countries, the pro-EU majority is crumbling. Following the British population’s vote yesterday, a domino effect cannot be excluded. Just a few days ago, for example, in a poll taken in Sweden – a country very similar to Great Britain in its attitude toward the EU – only 32% of Swedes would want to remain in the EU even if Britain left, with 36% in favour of a so-called Swexit.[10] Sweden’s foreign minister, recently, warned explicitly of a “spill-over effect” should the British referendum result in a Brexit.[11] That has now happened.

National Positions

Berlin is beginning to adapt itself to the fact that the EU is eroding and cannot be available, at least for the time being, for German global policy, to the extent it had expected. Last week, the US periodical “Foreign Affairs” published a signed article by Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Steinmeier wrote that the EU “has run into struggles of its own” and has “stumbled.” Until the EU “develops the ability” to play “a stronger role on the world stage,” Germany “will try its best to hold as much ground as possible.” Tuesday evening, Chancellor Merkel announced that the German military budget must draw closer to that of the United States. This is the beginning of a reinforcement of Berlin’s national positions.[12]

Stop Disintegration

This is not in contradiction with the German government taking measures over the next few days to attempt to forestall the EU’s further disintegration. The creation of a core Europe is already in discussion.[13] german-foreign-policy.com will report more next week.

Full article: The First Exit (German Foreign Policy)