El Reino Unido y la Unión Europea

Crónica de una ruptura anunciada

Abstract

On March 2019, the United Kingdom ceased to be part of the EU after 46 years of membership, two membership referenda, and an indeterminate number of battles to defend the United Kingdom's sovereignty, culture, identity, and intrinsic standards. The theories of international relations had so far only explained the process of integration.

However, the Brexit opens a new chapter that obliges the study of the process and elaborate on theories of disintegration. Although the outcome of the Brexit referendum was unexpected, it cannot be said to be unsuspected because the relations on both sides of the channel have been complicated from the outset with two visions that, in the end, have been different and incompatible.

The differences that have marked the discord between the United Kingdom and the EU since the start of the accession negotiations are analyzed to put into perspective the great difference in understanding the political, economic, social, and cultural relations between the Anglo-Saxon and Continental system.

 In addition, this study analyses the two referendums that took place in the United Kingdom and the wielded reasons for doing so paying attention to the dynamics and political rhetoric on both occasions.