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Meet Mr. Bond

Anja Kueppers, LondonJune 12, 2014

With anti-EU parties surging in popularity at the recent European elections, those in British politics wanting to strengthen EU ties face an ever-challenging job convincing their compatriots.

https://p.dw.com/p/1CGOe
British and EU flags
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Britain's EU champion

Observers are anxiously waiting to see what the stunning gains made by Euroskeptic parties in the recent EU Parliament elections will mean for the future of the EU.

Around 140 anti-EU members were voted into the 751 seat parliament, and parties hostile to the EU came out on top in Denmark, France, Britain and Greece.

In Britain, the anti-EU UK Independence Party performed particularly well, winning 24 seats. UKIP's surge in popularity is being seen as a clear indication that many Britons want their country to split with the EU. It's a worrying prospect for those who favor stronger ties with Europe.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has also said the UK could leave the EU if Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Juncker is appointed president of the European Commission.

Britain's leading coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats has promised to hold a referendum on the EU membership question after the country's general elections in 2015.

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