Germany’s Foreign Minister has branded Brexit a ‘big shitshow’ in an anti-populist, pro-EU speech ahead of the European elections.
The anti-Brexit comments came from Foreign Minister and senior left-wing Social Democrat (SDP) party man Michael Roth at the weekend, who said at the Berlin state party convention that “Brexit is a big shitshow”, reports Germany’s Welt. He went on to say “Europe is a life insurance in times of crisis and Europe brings the opportunity to cross borders, destroy walls, bring people together and foster solidarity”.
“We are seeing these days how fragile that is, and how little we can take that for granted. When people give themselves up to nationalists and populists, they are betrayed”, Roth Said.
His comments were echoed, more diplomatically, by Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s successor as leader of the Christian Democrats. “It should be clear to everyone what happens when populists can set the agenda,” the centre-right politician said.
Making the warning to others clear, she continued: “There are also parties in Germany that support leaving the EU. Everyone can see in the example of Britain what consequences that would have.”
Top Globalist Merkel has herself made similar comments in the past, stating in January that there was a rise in “populism and nationalism,” and that “we have to resolutely stand up against this type of thinking.”
Their comments come as Europe heads into the EU elections on May 23rd with a groundswell of support for populist and eurosceptic parties across the continent. Analysis by Britain’s Sky News estimates that up to a third of MEP’s could come from populist parties after the election, in groupings they term as far right, far left, and ‘other populist’.
Italy’s co-governing party ‘the League’ set to be the biggest single populist party, and the second largest outright in Europe, but with other parties from France, Poland, Hungary and Spain, among others, set to gain ground, as well as Germany’s own AfD (Alternative for Germany) party.
Rants such as Roth’s are the latest in a long line of comments from the EU in which they seek to dissuade voters from populist and eurosceptic parties by promoting a fear of Brexit. This seems to be working in some quarters, with traditionally eurosceptic party Sweden Democrats’ Jimmie Akesson saying in February that his party were considering their view on holding a referendum in Sweden if given the chance. He said “clearly the EU does its utmost to complicate Britain’s departure.” and that Sweden would wait to see how Britain fared outside the EU before committing his party to such a move. “It would be irresponsible for Sweden to leave before knowing how it goes with Britain,”
The ‘project fear’ tactics are not new, however, with many in the EU determined to punish Britain for leaving in an effort to put other countries off leaving themselves.
German politician Hans-Olaf Henkel said EU Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt would “punish the British, full stop”. He added, “My impression is that Mr Barnier wants to do the same… The reason is simple. They would seek to make sure that Brexit is such a catastrophe that no country dares to take the step of leaving the EU again”.
German diplomat Thomas Matussek made similar remarks, stating: “We are aiming for a Brexit which is as soft as possible but a Brexit which is hard as necessary in order to discourage others to follow the British example, mainly, to try to have the cake and eat it. Which we wouldn’t allow.”
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