In her book “Freedom”, the former German chancellor writes about what more she could have done to stop Britain
In her book “Freedom”, the former German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has described the Brexit issue as a humiliation for the EU. “For me, the result felt like a humiliation, a shame for the other members of the European Union that the United Kingdom was leaving us in the lurch. This changed the European Union (EU) in the world’s view”, writes Merkel. According to her, the United Kingdom was an indispensable part of the peace project of European unity. “Although the British often played a special role, I would rather continue to work with them within the European Union than lose them as a member”, says the former German chancellor.
She claimed that she had helped David Cameron, the former British prime minister, during the negotiations on the EU’s financial perspective for 2014-2020 and that her support for him had an impact on her relations with other EU leaders.
“I tried to help David Cameron. He insisted on a budget that would not show growth, but that included plans for higher spending. This was an attack on all the beneficiary countries that received more money from the EU budget than they contributed,” writes Angela Merkel. Among other things, in her book she writes that after the referendum, she was tormented by the idea of whether she should have done even more for the UK.
“I came to the conclusion that, in the face of the political developments that were taking place at the time at home, there would be no reasonable way to prevent the UK from leaving the EU. The mistakes of the past could not be undone. So all that was left for me was the hope that the UK and the EU would maintain a sense of mutual appreciation, they would find ways and means to engage in dialogue,” the book “Freedom” says, among other things. Angela Merkel left office after 16 years in 2021, handing over power to Olaf Scholz.
