United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum
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The Brexiters of the evening: As a Brexit advocate was the German -born former Labor MEP Gisela Stuart loaded, which was "not happy" about the development since the referendum, but defended the British Leave vote and the introduction of the euro as the starting point of the British alienation from the EU. It's not about dreams of the Empire, but about the fact that the British "as an island people" just wanted to have the last word about who made their laws.
In the same vein, the AfD chairman Alexander Gauland, who said that "of course" Europe now had to meet the British, it was wrong "to insist on maximum demands". He complained "too many notes, saying, 'We must make it clear to the British that another may never go that way.'" His proposal: Britain should remain in the Customs Union for a transitional period, but without the free movement of persons.
If this were to change the European position, Stuart agreed, "the ratio in the lower house would change as well".
Video: Voices from the Brexit stronghold in London's Havering district
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The pro-Europe group of the evening: quite different saw the pro-European panelists. ÖVP politician Wolfgang Sobotka, president of the Austrian National Council, saw little room for renegotiations and stated that it was not about punishment, but about the fact that the contract was a good compromise. The four fundamental freedoms - the movement of persons, goods, services and capital - should continue to be taken into account.
Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas continued to see opportunities for an orderly Brexit - and would, according to their own statements, also put up with a compromise between the EU and the UK. "I believe the last word has not been spoken yet." But he did not look at the EU: "The British have only said what they do not want, now they have to say what they want."
And the political scientist Ulrike Guérot attested to the EU a "clean, sober, very united", even "perfect negotiation". She agreed with Sobotka and Maas that the four freedoms were not negotiable: "We must not only talk about goods, we also have to talk about people." And: "Internal market without free movement is unacceptable, Mr. Gauland!"
Federal Foreign Minister Maas considers aborting the Brexit Treaty possible - "The last word has not been spoken yet"
Entire program on demand at ➡️https: //t.co/ZycqRun3cA @HeikoMaas @ZDFheute #Brexit #Europe #EU #UK #NoDealBrexit #Illner #VoD #backstop pic.twitter.com/sxnZiVCrwR
The evening's backstop debate: Once the catch-all solution, which was designed to ensure that customs checks between EU member Ireland and Northern Ireland would not be necessary, was identified as a stumbling block, culinary comparisons were called: "You can not have your cake and eat it ", Ulrike Guérot tried a well-known English saying, and Wolfgang Sobotka explained," making a Europe à la carte, picking something out, that's just not possible ".
Heiko Maas again emphasized that the border problem was not the result of the EU negotiations but of the Brexit vote, which the exit advocates probably did not consider sufficiently. He received applause for the statement "Europe is a peace project". A hard limit is "not just a technical thing" but a threat to peace, so you have to stick to it. Gauland criticized this view as "ideological".
Graphic for Brexit poker
The economic forecasts of the evening: In order to clarify the consequences of a no-deal-Brexit for the economy, was the financial expert and journalist Carolin Roth loaded. Although she predicted that the trade relations between the EU and Great Britain would not "fall into the black hole" even without a contract, there would be WTO rules. But then she had drastic numbers ready.
Consumers in the United Kingdom would have to pay the hardest: According to forecasts, the economy there would shrink by eight percent and unemployment would rise to 7.5 percent. A success story could be such a hard Brexit "certainly not in a short time".
Brexit activist Stuart doubted the numbers: "Eight percent - that's like having earthquakes, tsunami, and more." The question of whether she was not worried that just her clientele would have to pay for Brexit, did not let them apply: The traditional Labor voters from the old industrial areas would have voted for "Leave". If the policy has made a mistake, then "that, instead of training your own people, you brought in young people from Eastern Europe."
The overheard gag of the evening: When Illner wanted to know from SPD politician Maas, if he still has hope for a second referendum, such hopes are indeed in his party, the first made clear: "There are hopes in my party, and there is also hope for my party. " However, the British would have to decide for themselves on a second referendum and see no signs of it.
The "Dexit" -exkurs of the evening: When asked if the AfD in view of their recent congressional decisions "the German Brexit party," Gauland said, "a reform of the EU back only to the common European market, but not the further development to a common European state ". Maas's objection that it was funny to want to abolish the European Parliament, but at the same time to run for it, he dismissed: "The European Parliament is now here, so we must be there as an opponent." He still considered the influence of the AfD on the European opinion formation to be limited, but one learns a lot from the FPÖ and also from Sebastian Kurz.
The Hölderlin quote of the evening: "Where there is danger in arrears, the rescuer is close," said political scientist Guérot freely after Hölderlin ("But where there is danger, grows / the saving also") their hope that the Brexit drama a stirring effect could have. With regard to the European elections, some might realize what they have about the EU.
"Citizens must be heard" @ulrikeguerot calls for a reform of the EU at maybrit #illner
Entire program on demand at ➡️https: //t.co/ZycqRun3cA @ZDFheute #Brexit #Europe #EU #Democracy pic.twitter.com/kqQOLE1Y6c
Heiko Maas also argued against a return to nation-state thinking and for strengthening the European Parliament. All the challenges of our time - globalization, digitization, climate change, migration - are limitless. "Believing that you can find solutions to that by withdrawing and deciding nationally is the biggest misconception, so German interest has a name: Europe."
He did not have the last word. Gisela Stuart directed to him, "No British politician could ever imagine saying that British interests are the same as we European interests." Alexander Gauland chuckled softly and muttered, "Very good."