Brexit: the days after

So, my guess of yesterday was wrong. The “quitters” won. And I felt a bit of fool because I had reached that same conclusion long ago that Brexit would take over. I thought so for a good deal of time and only changed my mind during the very last stretch of the process, influenced I was by the bookmakers and the financial analysts and other stock market gurus.

Well, that´s how it is now.

But one should raise the question, once again, about the professional competence of the financial analysts. They are paid fortunes, they work in large teams, they have all the information and techniques, and then they end up by messing up.

The polls were also wrong. It was less surprising though as this was a vote of a unique type and there were little past references to guide the extrapolations.

It´s true that the score came as a big surprise. Many of my British friends were simply shocked. They work in international places and could not understand the choice made by the majority of the voters.

That´s democracy.

Now, the point is for the EU to prepare very well for the negotiations with the UK. On the European side, it is important to have a clear understanding about the EU´s interests and be resolute in their defence. It is also important to show that this is a true and tough negotiation. The people in the different corners of Europe have to see this discussions as exemplary.

It is also critical to rethink the relationship between the EU institutions and the citizens. It´s time to take this matter seriously, well beyond grandiloquent declarations and be able to show that the institutions are dealing with the issues that matter for the citizen. There is a need for narrow focus, good communications and political courage.