The Brexit effect: Political implications of the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union
| DOI | 10.1177/01925121211026522 |
| Author | Nicola Chelotti,Gianfranco Baldini |
| Published date | 01 June 2022 |
| Date | 01 June 2022 |
https://doi.org/10.1177/01925121211026522
International Political Science Review
2022, Vol. 43(3) 319 –328
© The Author(s) 2021
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DOI: 10.1177/01925121211026522
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The Brexit effect: Political
implications of the exit of
the United Kingdom from
the European Union
Gianfranco Baldini
University of Bologna, Italy
Nicola Chelotti
Loughborough University London, UK
Abstract
Brexit has brought tensions in European and (especially) British politics. This article illustrates the rationale,
scope and research questions of the special issue, which investigates the first Brexit effects in the five years
following the 2016 referendum. Taking the distribution of political power as our primary focus and analysing
mainly – though not exclusively – British politics, we trace the first developments in the three domains of
politics, polity and policy since the UK’s decision to leave the EU. In the politics domain, after the political
uncertainties surrounding the referendum period, we detect a return to the power-hoarding dynamics
typical of the Westminster model. However, the territorial and constitutional architectures of the British
polity are under considerable strain, with Brexit strengthening the nationalistic movements in Scotland
and Northern Ireland. In the policy domain, despite strong common interests, Brexit has failed to produce
cooperative EU–UK arrangements in finance and foreign policy.
Keywords
Brexit, British politics, European Union, critical juncture, Westminster model, institutional change
Introduction
On 31 January 2020, the United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU), 1317 days after the
referendum in which 51.9% of the British electorate had voted to leave. In the immediate aftermath
of the 2016 referendum, the Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron, left Downing Street,
having campaigned for the ‘remain’ option. The divorce was not yet complete on exit day,
Corresponding author:
Gianfranco Baldini, Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna, Strada Maggiore 45, Bologna
40125, Italy.
Email: Gianfranco.baldini2@unibo.it
1026522IPS0010.1177/01925121211026522International Political Science ReviewBaldini and Chelotti
research-article2021
Special Issue: The Brexit Effect
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