The United Kingdom’s Brexit decision in the context of the 2000s enlargements of the European Union

Rashica, Viona

doi:1429-7132 (print)

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The United Kingdom’s Brexit decision in the context of the 2000s enlargements of the European Union Rashica, Viona

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The United Kingdom’s Brexit decision in the context of the 2000s enlargements of the European Union

Europa XXI 48 (2025)

Rashica, Viona : Autor

Brexit, or the voluntary withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from membership of the European Union (EU), is considered as one of the main events of the international arena in the twenty-first century. For the first time in its history, the EU faced the withdrawal of a member state, which stands out for a major political, economic and military role inside and outside Europe. Although as a process it has been finalized in 2021, the factors that had an impact on Brexit are still being discussed. One of the main factors that affected the British people’s vote to withdraw their country from EU membership was immigration. As a result of the EU enlargements in 2004 and 2007, many people had the opportunity to come to Britain to work and live. The main purpose of this paper is to explain how the enlargements of the EU during the 2000s increased the number of Brexiteers in the UK. For the realization of the research, qualitative methods were used,based on the collection of primary and secondary data from the bibliography and credible internet sources related to the EU enlargement policies and Brexit. The research results have shown that the EU enlargements in 2004 and 2007 enabled hundreds of thousands of citizens from 12 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries to come to Britain for a better welfare system. This was considered by some Britons as an abuse of free movement and a very serious threat to their future, while Brexit was seen by them as the only salvation from this situation. The conclusions of the paper aim to increase the knowledge regarding the impact of the EU enlargement policies of the 2000s on very delicate processes, such as the decision of the UK to withdraw from the EU.

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