EU Parliament Will Resort to ‘Blackmail’ Over Brexit Talks – Expert
SputnikNews.com
04.01.2017
On the day the European Parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, met European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Sputnik has been told that the parliament could in the end resort to “blackmail” over Britain’s negotiations with the trading bloc.
Verhofstadt — who is a former Belgian prime minister, leader of the Liberals and Democrats in the European Parliament and potential presidential candidate — will take the lead on negotiations with the UK over the EU’s future relationship with the UK.
He held talks with Juncker, January 4, to discuss priorities over what is a first for the EU — a member state leaving. Negotiations will be complicated with Juncker leading on behalf of the Commission, Verhofsadt on behalf of the Parliament and Donald Tusk, who leads the Council.
However, Professor Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at Kings College London, has told Sputnik that it will be the Parliament which could have the final — and most crucial — say in the matter.
“Parliament will play a significant role, because it has to approve whatever deal is arrived at. The history of the European Parliament suggests that they will use their veto power to extract concessions from the member states. They will use blackmail. That’s fairly clear,” Prof. Menon told Sputnik.
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