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August 09, 2012 at 05:02 AM
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain is “deeply worried” over the possibility that his country could say farewell to the European Union. The possible cause for such an action? Handing over too much power to Brussels without maintaining “democratic legitimacy.”
Reuters reported that Blair expressed his concerns over the future of a Britain going it alone in an interview with German daily Die Zeit, in which he said the transfer of too much sovereignty could lead to a referendum rejecting the country’s membership in the bloc.
Some politicians are already calling for an exit, with current Prime Minister David Cameron saying in July that it was “perfectly reasonable” to hold an immediate referendum on whether the country should stay or go. Cameron did say, however, that he would not campaign for an exit because departing the EU would not be in the best interests of the country.
Blair was quoted saying that the eurozone crisis would be responsible for a “powerful political change of the EU. And on this point, I am deeply worried that Britain could decide by referendum to leave the whole process.”
He added, “If more competences are transferred to the EU, then its democratic legitimacy must be built up too. Britain must play a strong role in this. Because we need a balance between European institutions and the nation-states.”
