Le référendum britannique du 23 juin 2016 : un simulacre de démocratie ?

Abstract

With the referendum on Brexit of June 23 2016 the British took a fundamental decision not only for the future of their country but also for the future of the entire European Union. As well as issues such as the place of the United Kingdom in Europe and in the world, national sovereignty, immigration or security, economic aspects – commerce, investments, the labour market or the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital – were undoubtedly fundamental. Most economists such as Jonathan Portes from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research who said that Brexit would be “a bloody nightmare” were against Brexit. Some analysts, though, contended that the British economy would benefit from Brexit. As was remarkably summed up by an article of the Financial Times published on February 22 2016: “Economists cannot predict what will happen if Britain leaves the EU”. It is thus legitimate to wonder whether the British were in a position to make a clear choice. Empirical, emotional or subjective factors probably played an important part in the British decision. It should be remembered that David Cameron decided to call a referendum on Britain's EU membership after bowing to pressure from the Eurosceptic wing of the Conservative Party. Thus the referendum was a mockery of democracy as the British were misled into believing that they could answer a very simple question, which was in fact highly complex.

Keywords

• referendum
• European Union
• Brexit
• representative democracy
• participatory democracy