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E.U. Leaders Push for a Speedy Start to Britain’s Exit E.U. Leaders Push for a Speedy Start to Britain’s Exit
(about 5 hours later)
LONDON — European politicians on Sunday pressed Britain to launch the formal process of leaving the European Union, while new rifts emerged in the nation’s politics, underscoring a sense of drift on all sides after the shock of last week’s referendum. LONDON — European politicians on Sunday pressed Britain to begin the formal process of leaving the European Union, while new rifts emerged in the nation’s politics, underscoring a sense of drift on all sides after the shock of last week’s referendum.
The departure of Britain will increase the prominence of Germany, already Europe’s most prosperous and populous country, and put pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to navigate a peaceful split.The departure of Britain will increase the prominence of Germany, already Europe’s most prosperous and populous country, and put pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to navigate a peaceful split.
The four largest political groups in the European Parliament are planning a motion to urge Britain to leave as quickly as possible and “avoid damaging delay,” according to deputies cited in the Sunday edition of The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The parliament’s president, Martin Schulz of Germany, appealed in his country’s largest-circulation newspaper, Bild, for swift negotiation of Britain’s departure.The four largest political groups in the European Parliament are planning a motion to urge Britain to leave as quickly as possible and “avoid damaging delay,” according to deputies cited in the Sunday edition of The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The parliament’s president, Martin Schulz of Germany, appealed in his country’s largest-circulation newspaper, Bild, for swift negotiation of Britain’s departure.
That echoed the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who on Saturday called for immediate negotiations.That echoed the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, who on Saturday called for immediate negotiations.
“It doesn’t make any sense to wait until October to try and negotiate the terms of their departure,” he said of the British, whose prime minister, David Cameron, said on Friday that he would resign and leave all negotiations to his successor, who would be chosen by October.“It doesn’t make any sense to wait until October to try and negotiate the terms of their departure,” he said of the British, whose prime minister, David Cameron, said on Friday that he would resign and leave all negotiations to his successor, who would be chosen by October.
The jockeying for prominence in Britain will play out in coming weeks among Mr. Cameron’s Conservatives, as well as in the opposition Labour Party and the U.K. Independence Party, which pushed for a British exit from the bloc. Already on Sunday, internal dissent within Labour led to the firing of its spokesman for foreign affairs and the resignation of the spokeswoman on health matters.The jockeying for prominence in Britain will play out in coming weeks among Mr. Cameron’s Conservatives, as well as in the opposition Labour Party and the U.K. Independence Party, which pushed for a British exit from the bloc. Already on Sunday, internal dissent within Labour led to the firing of its spokesman for foreign affairs and the resignation of the spokeswoman on health matters.
Still, Ms. Merkel said on Saturday, “it shouldn’t take forever” for Britain to start the formal process of leaving.Still, Ms. Merkel said on Saturday, “it shouldn’t take forever” for Britain to start the formal process of leaving.
“I would not fight over a short period of time,” Ms. Merkel told a news conference, adding that “there is no need to be particularly nasty in any way in the negotiations.”“I would not fight over a short period of time,” Ms. Merkel told a news conference, adding that “there is no need to be particularly nasty in any way in the negotiations.”
In keeping with Germans’ penchant for orderly process, she said that the important thing was that talks “must be conducted properly.”In keeping with Germans’ penchant for orderly process, she said that the important thing was that talks “must be conducted properly.”
Ms. Merkel has scheduled meetings on Monday in Berlin, first with Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, and then over dinner with the leaders of France and Italy. On Tuesday, she will first address a special session of Parliament in Berlin and then go to Brussels for the first meeting of all European leaders since the British referendum.Ms. Merkel has scheduled meetings on Monday in Berlin, first with Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, and then over dinner with the leaders of France and Italy. On Tuesday, she will first address a special session of Parliament in Berlin and then go to Brussels for the first meeting of all European leaders since the British referendum.
Her foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is also reaching out to his European counterparts, both in Western and Eastern Europe. On Saturday he hosted the foreign ministers of the European Union’s five other founding members — France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg — and will travel on Monday to Prague to meet his colleagues from four key former Soviet bloc members: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.Her foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is also reaching out to his European counterparts, both in Western and Eastern Europe. On Saturday he hosted the foreign ministers of the European Union’s five other founding members — France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg — and will travel on Monday to Prague to meet his colleagues from four key former Soviet bloc members: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In more than a decade in power, Ms. Merkel has risen calmly to crises, whether over the euro currency or Russia’s grab for territory in Crimea and eastern Ukraine in 2014.In more than a decade in power, Ms. Merkel has risen calmly to crises, whether over the euro currency or Russia’s grab for territory in Crimea and eastern Ukraine in 2014.
But there are few guidelines for how the Continent — and Britain, Europe’s second-biggest economy — should proceed in the unprecedented event of a country’s leaving the 28-member European Union.But there are few guidelines for how the Continent — and Britain, Europe’s second-biggest economy — should proceed in the unprecedented event of a country’s leaving the 28-member European Union.
“Merkel has basically taken an approach of ‘We shouldn’t rush,’ and is looking at things calmly — which is very much her style,” said Daniela Schwarzer, the director of the Europe program at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin.“Merkel has basically taken an approach of ‘We shouldn’t rush,’ and is looking at things calmly — which is very much her style,” said Daniela Schwarzer, the director of the Europe program at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin.
By consulting with key European leaders before the summit meeting in Brussels on Tuesday or Wednesday, Ms. Schwarzer said, the chancellor is trying to mold a united and clear response to the stunning British vote.By consulting with key European leaders before the summit meeting in Brussels on Tuesday or Wednesday, Ms. Schwarzer said, the chancellor is trying to mold a united and clear response to the stunning British vote.
Ms. Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, said he had seen “absolutely no indication” of a swift negotiation with the British.Ms. Merkel’s chief of staff, Peter Altmaier, said he had seen “absolutely no indication” of a swift negotiation with the British.
“I would rather tend to the view that this application will be made in the next weeks or months, possibly only by a new government,” Mr. Altmaier told the public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.“I would rather tend to the view that this application will be made in the next weeks or months, possibly only by a new government,” Mr. Altmaier told the public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk.