The European University Institute officially launched its first UK Alumni Chapter on 29 January at the London School of Economics (LSE), at a moment when 60% of British voters now view Brexit as a mistake, a notable shift from the 52-48 referendum results a decade ago.
The launch event featured a panel discussion 'Building new bridges: EU–UK relations', moderated by BBC journalist and EUI alumna Mishal Husain, which revealed unexpected challenges beneath the surface of rapprochement. Professor Josephine van Zeben, EUI Provost for Education and Academic Staff Development, noted that "6,900 European laws remain in force in the UK, largely unchanged," creating layers of complexity as bilateral agreements stack on top of retained EU law. She also pointed to a deeper issue: "There's still an elitism to the European project. We can't explain to people in less privileged situations why this benefits them, beyond security rationales."
Professor Simon Hix presented striking data showing that about a third of the shift in public opinion is simply demographic change: "This is Brexiteers dying out and younger, more pro-European voters joining the electorate," he explained.
Tom Kennedy, an an alumnus present at the EUI's founding in 1976, identified the UK's return to the EUI Convention as "low-hanging fruit". He urged the London Chapter to campaign actively for this objective, a call that resonated with EUI Secretary General Armando Barucco's opening remarks on strengthening institutional ties between the EUI and the UK.
MEP Sandro Gozi, Chair of the EU-UK Parliamentary Assembly, reinforced this vision, noting: "We cannot leave this just to executives; we need strong parliamentary and civil society dimensions."
The London Chapter, following November's Brussels launch, positions EUI alumni as active participants in reshaping EU-UK relations during the Institute's 50th anniversary year.