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David Cameron must now show he can be a constructive EU player David Cameron must now show he can be a constructive EU player
(7 months later)
David Cameron looked very combative as he committed to campaigning “heart and soul” for Britain to remain in the EU, after emerging from a marathon summit which produced a compromise document securing what he called “special status” for the UK in Europe.David Cameron looked very combative as he committed to campaigning “heart and soul” for Britain to remain in the EU, after emerging from a marathon summit which produced a compromise document securing what he called “special status” for the UK in Europe.
Related: David Cameron's dogged work won tussle in Brussels – now he faces fight at home
The battle now moves on to British voters – after all, everyone knows domestic politics was all this was ever about. Cameron well knows the technicalities of the deal, which critics and supporters alike will now pore over, will only partly weigh on how the referendum plays out.The battle now moves on to British voters – after all, everyone knows domestic politics was all this was ever about. Cameron well knows the technicalities of the deal, which critics and supporters alike will now pore over, will only partly weigh on how the referendum plays out.
It is hard to fathom how much drama was artificially injected in this Brussels battle: it was certainly in Cameron’s interest to demonstrate he had fought long and hard with EU leaders. But there is little doubt the prime minister found himself confronted with stronger resistance than he had expected from his EU counterparts.It is hard to fathom how much drama was artificially injected in this Brussels battle: it was certainly in Cameron’s interest to demonstrate he had fought long and hard with EU leaders. But there is little doubt the prime minister found himself confronted with stronger resistance than he had expected from his EU counterparts.
It is hard to exaggerate the hostility and general irritation his renegotiating tactics had earned him in recent months. Last year, he had toured European capitals asking, in substance, “what are you ready to give us?”, which was perplexing to many.It is hard to exaggerate the hostility and general irritation his renegotiating tactics had earned him in recent months. Last year, he had toured European capitals asking, in substance, “what are you ready to give us?”, which was perplexing to many.
Related: David Cameron's EU deal: what he wanted and what he got
Of course there was grandstanding in Brussels, as happens during many EU summits, but the backdrop to this crunch-time, which went on for so long, is that Europe’s landscape has shifted. And it has done so in ways that Cameron could not have anticipated when, in January 2013, he first set out his plan for an EU referendum.Of course there was grandstanding in Brussels, as happens during many EU summits, but the backdrop to this crunch-time, which went on for so long, is that Europe’s landscape has shifted. And it has done so in ways that Cameron could not have anticipated when, in January 2013, he first set out his plan for an EU referendum.
In Brussels, Cameron found himself confronted with European equilibriums that had shifted dramatically. Angela Merkel, his strongest European ally, suffers from a loss of political authority on the continent because of her policies on the refugee crisis.In Brussels, Cameron found himself confronted with European equilibriums that had shifted dramatically. Angela Merkel, his strongest European ally, suffers from a loss of political authority on the continent because of her policies on the refugee crisis.
Another change, compared to 2013, is that the central and eastern Europeans have been able to league up inside the “Visegrád group”, intent on showing they have more clout than before. Poland’s electoral swing to the nationalist right made that ideological block possible.Another change, compared to 2013, is that the central and eastern Europeans have been able to league up inside the “Visegrád group”, intent on showing they have more clout than before. Poland’s electoral swing to the nationalist right made that ideological block possible.
The central Europeans pressed for their priorities on the British issue, just as they had earlier demonstrated their reluctance concerning Merkel’s plans on the refugee question. France, weakened economically, but whose president has made promises about further eurozone integration, wanted to show it wasn’t sidelined.The central Europeans pressed for their priorities on the British issue, just as they had earlier demonstrated their reluctance concerning Merkel’s plans on the refugee question. France, weakened economically, but whose president has made promises about further eurozone integration, wanted to show it wasn’t sidelined.
Related: David Cameron seals deal with EU leaders, paving way for June referendum
Ahead of the Brussels summit, the hope was that a deal might be sealed quickly, and that everyone could move on to addressing “real”, deeper problems: the refugee crisis was meant to be top of the list – Merkel certainly had made that clear.Ahead of the Brussels summit, the hope was that a deal might be sealed quickly, and that everyone could move on to addressing “real”, deeper problems: the refugee crisis was meant to be top of the list – Merkel certainly had made that clear.
In recent months, European leaders have had so much on their plate that preventing Brexit never really registered as something that would require such large amounts of energy and time. All along, the Britain issue has been seen as a self-fabricated problem in which the British prime minister had trapped himself.In recent months, European leaders have had so much on their plate that preventing Brexit never really registered as something that would require such large amounts of energy and time. All along, the Britain issue has been seen as a self-fabricated problem in which the British prime minister had trapped himself.
Now everyone will hope that after the British theatrics, the serious business of preventing Europe’s dislocation and addressing the urgent matters of migration and geopolitical security will come back to the fore. Cameron will have work to do to convince he can be a constructive player and not a spoiler – and that means he needs to win the referendum.Now everyone will hope that after the British theatrics, the serious business of preventing Europe’s dislocation and addressing the urgent matters of migration and geopolitical security will come back to the fore. Cameron will have work to do to convince he can be a constructive player and not a spoiler – and that means he needs to win the referendum.