The State of the European Union. The European Parliament faces its most important elections yet

39 The United Kingdom and the Brexit 2019 finds us in a world of unknowns. The in- ternal political situation in Portugal is unfolding against a backdrop of unanswered questions for Europe and the world at large. As Brexit de- velopments continue to shape European poli- tics, we now know that whatever happens, the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union will have negative consequences not just Britain itself but the EU as a whole, including Portugal. The political erosion of the EU’s Atlantic coastline will be viewed as a loss for all involved. Indeed, Portugal has been able to modernise its economy over the last sixty years thanks in no small part to the integration pro- cess led by the United Kingdom, which started in 1959 with the creation of EFTA and contin- ued when Portugal followed the UK’s lead by beginning its gradual process of accession to the European Communities in the 1970s. However, continued tensions between the Remain and Leave factions mean that clarifica- tion of the current Brexit situation is unlikely to arrive soon. In fact, the debate between the two opposing groups has not shed much light on the situation: those who want to revisit the referen- dum decision cannot agree on whether to put the question back to the people, and those who want to leave are aware that they are losing in- fluence and credibility with every passing day. The general European and international context Developments in France and Germany have also revealed serious cause for concern, most nota- bly creeping instability. Factionalism is also on the rise in Italy, and the increasing influence of populist and radical left- and right-wing political groups is being felt throughout central Europe. Portugal. Uncertainty and diversity Guilherme d’Oliveira Martins “What shall we do? We shall plot a course to India without the need to pass through Turkish land, without the need to navigate the Mediterranean”. António Sérgio (1883-1969)