By Victoria Hines
Brexit, a reference to the possibility of Great Britain leaving
the European Union (EU) upon a referendum, has recently been at the forefront
of the news cycle. The passage of the
European Union Referendum Act of 2015, allowing for a referendum on whether the
UK should remain in the EU, has ignited a debate on the desirability of
continued EU membership. UK Prime Minister David Cameron conducted
negotiations in Brussels last week to try to
encourage European leaders to support his EU reforms before the projected June
23 referendum. These
objectives, which Cameron outlined last
November, included: acquiring insurance that the Eurozone countries are not
able to manipulate financial regulations for non-euro nations, reducing red
tape on European businesses, enhancing national parliament power by exempting
Britain from an “ever closer union,” and controlling migration. This deal,
which gives Britain “special
status” in the EU, is now being used by Cameron
to assemble support for the UK to remain in the EU.
