UK and EU leaders want a reset after Trump’s win — and now voters want it too

As U.Okay. and EU leaders search to reset relations forward of President-elect Donald Trump‘s return to the White Home, public sentiment additionally seems to be shifting in favor of nearer ties throughout the continent, in line with a brand new survey.

The vast majority of Britons (55%) suppose the U.Okay. ought to realign with the EU beneath a second Trump time period, and prioritize stronger relations with Brussels over the U.S. (17%), analysis from the European Council on Overseas Relations confirmed Thursday. There was additionally reluctance for Britain to observe Trump’s lead on main overseas coverage points corresponding to China and Ukraine.

On the continent, the sensation is mutual, with pluralities of respondents throughout EU international locations — and Germany and Poland specifically — supporting nearer ties with the U.Okay.

The examine, carried out within the wake of the U.S. election, seeks to offer the most recent image of public opinion on Brexit, greater than eight years after the landmark vote.

The discharge comes days after U.Okay. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Monday talked up renewed relations with Brussels throughout a visit to convene along with her EU counterparts — the first such meeting since Britain formally left the bloc in 2020.

“We not dwell on the earth of Brexit. That world got here to an finish on Nov. 5, 2024,” Mark Leonard, ECFR co-founder and overseas coverage skilled, stated throughout an occasion in London to announce the findings.

“There’s a placing and widely-held want on each side of the channel to get nearer collectively,” he added.

The survey — which polled greater than 9,000 individuals throughout the U.Okay., France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain — confirmed a specific willingness for each side to cooperate extra carefully on commerce and safety.

Within the U.Okay., nearly all of respondents stated they noticed improved ties as aiding with their key priorities round migration, safety and the economic system. In the meantime, respondents in Europe stated they had been open to granting the U.Okay. “particular entry” to the EU single market and entry to the bloc’s analysis applications in change for better safety cooperation.

Each side additionally expressed a willingness to think about free motion of individuals in change for stronger financial ties.

Trump’s Nov. 5 election has added to a sense of unease in Europe, notably round nationwide safety and the affect of potential tariffs, with the president-elect beforehand warning that the EU may very well be topic to new commerce levies to deal with the numerous commerce imbalance.

The U.Okay., in the meantime, which has a much smaller commerce imbalance with the U.S., could also be hoping that its “special relationship” throughout the Atlantic — and Trump’s affinity for Brexit — are sufficient to spare it from probably the most punitive of measures.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former prime minister of Denmark and ECFR board trustee, advised CNBC that it was anticipated — and within the U.Okay.’s curiosity — to pursue “as shut a relationship with the U.S. as potential.” However she stated that ought to not preclude shut ties with the EU, too.

“If we’re on the lookout for a reset, this can be a good time,” she stated, noting that the present backdrop may really enhance the U.Okay.’s place when searching for improved relations with the EU. “It is a time the place there’s maybe leverage (for the U.Okay.) to ask for a bit extra.”

Thorning-Schmidt, who was prime minister between 2011 to 2015, acknowledged, nonetheless, that there may very well be some “binary” decisions forward as each side search to place themselves beneath a Trump presidency.

“If there are tariffs coming our means, can we retaliate? Is that a solution?” Thorning-Schmidt stated.

“If we’re requested to align extra with the U.S. by way of their China coverage, that may very well be a binary alternative as properly,” she continued.

“And if the U.Okay. is by some means compelled to decide on between the U.S. and EU — which I do not suppose they are going to — that is maybe a binary alternative.”