Advertisement

'We can handle Brexit' insist Hollande and Merkel

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
'We can handle Brexit' insist Hollande and Merkel
Photo: AFP

France and Germany say they are on the same page when it comes to handling the fallout of last week's shock Brexit vote.

Advertisement

French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday confirmed they were in "full agreement on how to handle the situation" created by Britain's seismic vote to quit the EU, French presidency sources said after a phone call between the two leaders.

Both heads of state, who will hold further talks in Berlin in Monday, "want the greatest clarity to avoid any uncertainty" after last Thursday's Brexit referendum sent shockwaves across the continent, a source close to Hollande said.

They also "stressed the need for European initiatives and the need to act quickly on concrete priorities," the source told AFP.

Britain's momentous decision to become the first member state to leave the 28-member European Union has plunged the bloc into uncharted waters, sparking widespread concern and triggering losses of over $2 trillion on global stock
markets Friday.

European leaders will embark on a flurry of diplomatic activity this week to plan the way forward, with some pushing for a quickie divorce amid fears Britain's vote to leave will create a domino effect in eurosceptic member states.

Hollande will hold talks with EU president Donald Tusk in Paris on Monday morning, before heading to Berlin for a meeting with Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

Leaders will then begin a crunch two-day summit in Brussels on Tuesday, when British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to face huge pressure to immediately trigger the two-year process to exit the EU.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also