Brexit has been the talk of Europe for the past three years. The abundant information provided by various publications makes it hard for many to form a structured and objective view on the matter. If you want to be part of the people that get a better insight into the topic and voice informed opinions at the family dinner table, be sure to join the next Room for Discussion event.
Following the event on the 15th of February, Room for Discussion brings us part two of the Understanding Brexit series. While the previous interview was focused on the British perspective, the event on the 6th of March will mostly look into how Europe will be affected by the unfolding of events. The two guests are dealing with the matter daily and will be able to provide the audience with a hands-on perspective regarding how Europe will develop following the dreaded 29th of March deadline.
Alexandra Dumitru has been working at Rabobank for about 6 years. With a Masters in Economics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, she is working as a macro-economist in the research division, with a primary focus on the political developments in the UK and Ireland. She has published a great deal on the matter and most of her publications are widely available. In her latest update, Alexandra mainly touches upon the upcoming 27th of February vote. With less than a month to spare until the deadline, the vote will determine the turn that Brexit is going to take. If the vote will indicate a willingness of the parliament to extend the Article 50 deadline, more time will be allocated to solving clear vacuums in legislation and handling the Irish border situation more sensibly. Otherwise, the possibility of a hard Brexit will no longer be dismissed.
Rem Korteweg is the head of Europe at Clingendael Research, focusing on European external policy. He has a PhD in International Relations from Leiden University and has been involved in Netherlands’ Advisory Council on International Affairs, providing valuable consultancy regarding external relations. Rem has published Brexit related articles since the early stages of the matter. In his May 2018 article, he was hinting at the current confusion in British politics.
Looking beyond the technicalities of Brexit, this event is probably the hardest obstacle for the European Union so far. Whilst British politics might not be of interest to all of us, how this will affect the EU is of direct interest to the majority. Be sure to come by E-hall, on the 6th of March and get involved in how Brexit will shape the near future of Europe.