Brexit, Post-Truth Politics and the Triumph of a Messy Vision of Democracy over Technocracy

Abstract

On 23 June 2016, the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a historic referendum. This paper is a reflection on the wider implications of the result, the adequacy of deciding such technical matters through direct democracy means, and the problems related to the disdain of technocracy and expert opinions in the era of post-truth politics. It stresses the need to value democracy by giving it a constructive meaning, and by protecting it from the populism and misinformation that can tarnish it. But the responsibility of the EU, it is argued, should not be ignored. Its institutions must strive towards greater engagement of the wider population in its benefits. In this sense, Brexit could be an opportunity to re-think the direction in which the European project is advancing. The author shares both her own personal experience as a Spaniard who lived and worked in the UK for 12 years, and her professional perspective as an expert on EU law and competition law.

Keywords: Brexit, United Kingdom, European Union, Democracy, Technocracy, Referendum, Antitrust, EU Law, Post-Truth Politics

JEL Classification: D70, K10, D81, N44, L82, K21