Kameel Majdali's Road Ahead

The 29th of March, 2019, is soon approaching. It is the date the United Kingdom is scheduled to formally ‘exit’ the European Union (EU), after 46 years of membership. The EU will be reduced from 28 to 27 member nations. This ‘exit’ is popularly known as ‘Brexit,’ a contraction of ‘British exit.’ Make no mistake about it: Brexit is the single-most important event in the United Kingdom since the end of the Second World War. And it promises to affect the nation, continent, and the world. Before we focus on the present, let’s take a quick look at the past. The European continent was wracked with unimaginable horror - twice in one century. These horrors were two world wars, both of which were fought on European soil. Millions were killed and injured and the continent was laid waste. With the vision to avoid future European wars and enter into a period of permanent peace and prosperity, the European Union was born. Less well known, though no secret either, is that the founders...

On March 18, 2016, former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the current President of the European Council, announced that the European Union has successfully concluded a deal with Turkey to curb the flow of migrants coming into Europe from its territory. Action was imperative: in 2015 over 1 million migrants came by sea and entered into Europe, seeking asylum. In the first two months of 2016, another 127,000 entered Europe, mainly from Turkey to Greece. Europe has not seen this level of mass migration since the end of World War II. DEFINITION: The term ‘migrant’ is being employed to describe all people who are migrating from Asia and Africa to Europe. This includes genuine refugees fleeing from war and terror, as well as those who are looking for a better way of life, known as ‘economic migrants.’ Anyone who has objectively watched the situation closely realises that something had to be done. Despite its advanced societies and extensive welfare system, Europe and the EU simp...