On Thursday, 7 July, a series of European politicians and MEPs welcomed the announcement of the resignation of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He was forced to step down after a series of scandals related to the management of Covid-19. The Conservative leader, who resigned as Tory leader the same day, will step down as Prime Minister as soon as a successor is appointed, probably in the autumn.
While the European Commission declined to comment, indicating that its position on the non-negotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol remained unchanged, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said that the two partners “now have the opportunity to return to a true spirit of partnership and mutual respect”, which is necessary to protect “the gains made in the Good Friday Agreement”.
“Our joint responsibilities for the management of the Good Friday Agreement, as well as the development of the wider bilateral relationship between us, require us to work together in a spirit of respect, trust and partnership. This is more important than ever today, and I call once again for a renunciation of unilateral action, whether it is dealing with the legacy of the past, human rights or the Northern Ireland Protocol”, the Taoiseach added.
Iratxe García (Spain), the leader of the S&D group in the European Parliament, said “Boris Johnson’s time in office has brought relations between the EU and the UK to an all-time low. His long-awaited resignation should mark a turning point because the UK deserves better than this Conservative government”. “I appeal to his successor to stop burning bridges with us and start building them”, she added.
Michel Barnier, the Commission’s former negotiator for the UK’s orderly exit, also believes that Boris Johnson’s departure will open “a new chapter” in EU-UK relations, which he hopes will be “more constructive and respectful of the commitments made”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)