The European Green Party urged the United Kingdom to consider rejoining the EU after delegates from 30 European green parties adopted a declaration in Brussels on Friday, before Europe Day. Vula Tsetsi, the party’s cochair, said: "Somebody has to trigger the debate."
Brussels declaration
The text says the United Kingdom's future lies in the European Union and describes brexit as a political and economic failure with lasting negative consequences for people in the United Kingdom and across Europe. It also says the European Green family is ready to welcome the UK back alongside other countries when it chooses that path.
The declaration was adopted by a large majority at the movement’s annual leadership meeting. Representatives from the British green parties were not present because of the local and parliamentary elections.
Manchester meeting
On 1 May, Vula Tsetsi and Ciarán Cuffe met Zack Polanski in Manchester to discuss the rejoin declaration. Polanski, the Green party leader for England and Wales, later described Brexit as "a sledgehammer to an already weak economy" and said he was "firmly, very much in favour" of rejoining the EU eventually.
A spokesperson for the Green party of England and Wales said: "Brexit has been a disaster and we have always said we should rejoin the EU when the political circumstances are right." The declaration lands as the Greens try to press a message that has not been taken up by other European political parties, even as the party has lost influence in recent years.
European Green Party split
Vula Tsetsi said the party did not want to take the place of a democratic debate in the United Kingdom, adding: "The main discussion belongs first and foremost to the democratic debate in the United Kingdom and we don’t want to take that place, but we would like to trigger that debate as a European political family. Maybe other political families will join, but for us the moment is now."
The move gives Green parties across Europe a shared line to reflect in national debates and policy positions, while leaving the decision with the United Kingdom.
