Table of Contents
- 1 Nothing was “fundamentally wrong” – Merkel only admits to small mistakes in her memoirs
- 2 Merkel’s memoirs on Brexit: “Wherever possible” negotiations with David Cameron
- 3 Merkel: British Prime Minister Cameron made a crucial “Brexit” mistake
- 4 Downing Street revolving door: Britain leaves Tory chaos behind
- 5 Did Merkel’s reluctance to make significant concessions to Cameron during the renegotiation process, as described in her memoirs, ultimately contribute to the outcome of the Brexit referendum?
PressSplit
Former Chancellor Angela Merkel has written a book. Five pages of her memoirs about “Brexit” are causing a stir in Great Britain.
Berlin – The former Chancellor’s memoirs will be published next Tuesday (November 26th). Angela Merkel (CDU) under the title “Freedom”. In Great Britain, five of the approximately 700 pages caused a stir: the “Brexit” decision of British voters to leave the EU was “a humiliation” for the alliance, the British quoted Guardian Merkel. Merke placed the beginning of the drifting apart between the United Kingdom and the EU at the beginning of her chancellorship. Doubts about whether she could have done more against “Brexit” would have “tormented” her for a long time. The original mistake did not lie with her, but with the British Conservatives.
Former British Prime Minister David Cameron and former Chancellor Angela Merkel at a summit in 2016 (archive) © Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Nothing was “fundamentally wrong” – Merkel only admits to small mistakes in her memoirs
Only about half of Merkel’s memoirs deal with her political career in the Federal Republic, which culminated in 16 years as chancellor. In the first half of the book she details her life in the GDR, the news magazine reported Spiegel. “I am now 70 years old, 35 years in the East, 35 years in politics, apparently two lives, but in reality one life, and the second half cannot be understood without the first,” the former Chancellor told the magazine.
Melanie Amann, deputy editor-in-chief of Spiegel, said in the in-house podcast “Shortcut” Merkel is clearing out her Buch There were small mistakes, but not that she “did something fundamentally wrong” in Russia policy or migration policy, for example.
Merkel’s memoirs on Brexit: “Wherever possible” negotiations with David Cameron
Before the referendum on leaving the EU in 2016, she tried “wherever possible” to accommodate the then conservative British Prime Minister David Cameron, Merkel wrote in her memoirs Guardian. At that time, Cameron tried to renegotiate EU rules on the free movement of people. Because she wanted to accommodate him, Merkel wrote, she became an “outsider” among the EU heads of government.
Cameron was forced to hold a referendum on leaving the EU in 2016 by a Eurosceptic, largely racist, movement. A majority of Brits voted in favor and the United Kingdom left the EU on January 1, 2021.
Merkel: British Prime Minister Cameron made a crucial “Brexit” mistake
But Cameron himself made the original mistake that led to “Brexit,” Merkel wrote. Cameron put himself in the hands of EU skeptics when he promised to leave the conservative EU party EPP, which he made in 2005 and implemented in 2009. Merkel wrote that he “was never able to free himself from this dependence.” The Tories were members of the national conservative and openly anti-liberal “European Conservatives and Reformers” in the EU Parliament until 2021.
Downing Street revolving door: Britain leaves Tory chaos behind
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After the referendum, she was “tormented” about whether she should have made more concessions to Cameron in the negotiations over EU rules. In principle, however, she came to the conclusion that, given domestic political developments, there was “no sensible way” to keep Great Britain in the EU. (kb)
Did Merkel’s reluctance to make significant concessions to Cameron during the renegotiation process, as described in her memoirs, ultimately contribute to the outcome of the Brexit referendum?
## World Today News Interview: Angela Merkel’s Memoirs and Brexit
**Introduction:**
Welcome back to World Today News. Today, we’re delving into the latest political buzz surrounding former German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s new memoirs, specifically her reflections on the “Brexit” referendum. To unpack the complexities of this historical event, we’re joined by two esteemed guests:
* **[Guest 1 Name and Expertise]:** A leading academic specializing in European Politics
* **[Guest 2 Name and Expertise]:** A British political commentator with deep knowledge of the Brexit negotiations.
Let’s jump right in.
**Section 1: Merkel’s Reflections on Brexit**
* **Host:** Chancellor Merkel describes the “Brexit” decision as a “humiliation” for the European Union. Do you agree with this characterization? What deeper political implications does this statement hold?
* **Guest 1:** Given your expertise in European Politics, how do you contextualize Merkel’s perspective within the broader EU landscape at that time?
* **Guest 2:** From a British standpoint, do you think Merkel’s statements accurately reflect the complexities and motivations behind the “Brexit” vote?
* **Host:** Merkel acknowledges that she “tormented” over whether she could have done more to prevent “Brexit.” Do you believe her actions, or lack thereof, significantly influenced the outcome?
**Section 2: Cameron’s Role and the Conservative Party**
* **Host:** Merkel argues that the British Prime Minister David Cameron made a crucial “mistake” by aligning the Conservative Party with Eurosceptic factions. What’s your understanding of this dynamic?
* **Guest 2:** Can you elaborate on the political climate within the Conservative Party leading up to the referendum? How did Cameron’s maneuvering within the party contribute to the “Brexit” outcome?
* **Guest 1:** How did this internal rift within the Conservatives impact Britain’s position in the broader EU negotiations?
* **Host:** Merkel also mentions Cameron’s attempt to renegotiate EU rules. Do you think these renegotiations were sincere attempts at reform or simply strategic maneuvers aimed at appeasing Eurosceptic voices within his party?
**Section 3: The Legacy of Brexit**
* **Host:** Looking back on the decision, what are the long-term political and economic consequences of “Brexit” for both the UK and the EU?
* **Guest 1:** How has the political landscape in Europe shifted since the UK’s departure? Are there any lessons learned from this experience that can be applied to future crises within the EU?
* **Guest 2:** How has the “Brexit” decision impacted the UK’s global standing and its relationship with its closest allies?
**Host:** Thank you both for sharing your insightful perspectives. It’s clear that the “Brexit” decision and its aftermath will continue to be debated for years to come. We encourage our viewers to engage in thoughtful discussion and consider the various viewpoints surrounding this complex issue. Until next time, this is World Today News.