Managing Disintegration: How the European Parliament Responded and Adapted to Brexit

Abstract

Brexit makes both a direct and an indirect impact on the European Parliament (EP). The most direct consequence is the withdrawal of the 73-member strong UK contingent and the changing size of the political groups. Yet, the impact of Brexit is also felt in more oblique ways. Focussing on the role and influence of the EP in the EU–UK negotiations, and of the British delegation in the EP, this article shows that the process, and not just the outcome of Brexit, has significant organisational implications for the EP and its political groups. Moreover, it also showcases the importance of informal rules and norms of behaviour, which were affected by Brexit well ahead of any formal change to the UK status as a Member State. The EP and its leadership ensured the active involvement of the EP in the negotiating process—albeit in different ways for the withdrawal agreement and the future relationship—and sought to minimise the costs of Brexit, reducing the clout of British members particularly in the allocation of legislative reports.

European Parliament’s Political Groups in Turbulent Times

“…At times, it has been pushed aside, as in the Eurozone crisis, with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission dominating decision-making (Bressanelli & Chelotti, 2016). Other times, it has exercised the powers granted to it or sought to maximise its powers beyond those formally granted to it, as in becoming a 'quasi-negotiator' in the Brexit process (Bressanelli et al, 2021;. The crises and crisis response policies have been extensively debated in the parliamentary plenaries.…”

Eternal Friends or Jubilant Brexiteers? The Impact of Brexit on UK MEPs' Parliamentary Work in the European Parliament

“…Officially, its role was merely to give consent to Brexit negotiations. However, it managed to use its ‘scant powers to the maximum’ thereby becoming a ‘quasi‐negotiator’ in the process (Bressanelli et al, 2021, p. 17; Closa, 2020). This was aided by the strong co‐ordination of the process in the parliament by the Brexit Steering Group.…”

“…Brexit impacted the European Parliament (EP) in numerous ways and was one of the most heated events in the history of the institution. The impact of Brexit on the European Parliament has been studied in terms of the parliament's role in Brexit negotiations (Bressanelli et al, 2019; Closa, 2020; Lord, 2021; Meislova, 2019); the gradually diminishing role and importance of the UK delegations and MEPs in the power positions of the EP (Hix and Benedetto, 2016) as well as in relation to the impact of Brexit on political groups (Ahrens and Kantola 2022; Bressanelli et al, 2021). The aim of this article is to analyse the constructions of the impact of Brexit on UK MEPs' parliamentary work.…”

“…The aim of this article is to analyse the constructions of the impact of Brexit on UK MEPs' parliamentary work. As Bressanelli et al (2021) suggest: the UK MEPs were in a ‘limbo’ situation enjoying full rights of MEPs, yet Brexit made their terms short and fixed, diminished their parliamentary roles and resulted in them being viewed suspiciously by some fellow MEPs (see also Shackleton, 2016).…”

Turbulent Times for the European Parliament’s Political Groups? Lessons on Continuity and Change

“…At times, it has been pushed aside, as in the Eurozone crisis, with the Council of the European Union and the European Commission dominating decision-making (Bressanelli & Chelotti, 2016). Other times, it has exercised the powers granted to it or sought to maximise its powers beyond those formally granted to it, as in becoming a 'quasi-negotiator' in the Brexit process (Bressanelli et al, 2021;Meissner & Schoeller, 2019). The crises and crisis response policies have been extensively debated in the parliamentary plenaries.…”