There is an old American saying, ‘politics should stop at the water’s edge’. It means foreign policy should be driven by a country’s national interests and values, not its domestic politics. But it’s a myth.
Britain’s vote to leave the European Union is one example of exploding this myth. Overnight, British citizens fundamentally altered the structure of their foreign policy. David Cameron had tried to use the referendum as leverage for concessions from Brussels, with the goal of addressing long-standing tensions within the ruling Conservative Party regarding EU membership. But he underestimated the British electorate’s growing anti-establishment sentiment. The Brexit vote …read more
Source: Europe’s World
