Monkey see, monkey do as far as referenda are concerned

TO USE a very appropriate French phrase “Après nous le déluge” (“After us, the deluge”) was attributed to Marquise de Pompadour, the lover of King Louis XV of France with regards to the French Revolution and it now seems that the French in the form of Marine Le Pen are anxious to test the possible waters as far as their own Frexit is concerned having allowed Britain to lead the way.

As so many British voters appear to be having second thoughts about the Brexit and Leave politicians are beginning to back track on a number of the claims made before the vote, it must be encouraging for ‘prime minister in waiting’ Boris Johnson to be receiving so much support and praise from so many extreme right-wing European politicians who are now clamouring for their own referendum.

One study suggests that there could be as many as 34 different calls for referenda around the EU on membership, renegotiation of terms and the euro although they mainly come from extreme groups who aren’t currently in power.

Of those which are in power or are part of a coalition, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Sweden are perhaps the least enamoured with the Union as opposed to Europhiles in Germany, Poland and Spain.

Whilst things are unlikely to move too quickly, there are a number of elections due during 2017 which could see more right-wing, anti-Europe parties growing in strength, so even if whoever becomes British Prime Minister continues to delay invoking article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, he or she might find that the EU has started to crumble without a formal British decision.