Skip to main content

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

  • Who we are
    • Programs
      • Alliance for Securing Democracy
      • Asia Program
      • Balkan Trust for Democracy
      • Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation
      • Congressional Affairs
      • Europe Program
      • Fund for Belarus Democracy
      • Future of Geopolitics
      • GMF Cities
      • GMF Digital
      • Leadership Programs
      • Mediterranean Program
      • Security and Defense
    • Offices
      • Ankara
      • Belgrade
      • Berlin
      • Brussels
      • Bucharest
      • Paris
      • Warsaw
      • Washington, DC
    • About Us
    • Marshall Plan
    • Our Partners
  • Experts
  • Events
    Mar
    4
    Upcoming Event

    A Partnership to Endure: What Next For the Transatlantic Relationship?

    March 4, 2021 | 9:00AM to 10:15AM EST
    • Major Conferences & Forums
      GMF brings together hundreds of policymakers, elected officials, academics, and business leaders from around the world to discuss topics from energy to migration, economics to security, urban growth to diplomacy.
    All Events →
  • Our Work
    • Topics
      • America
      • Asia
      • Europe
      • Cities and Regions
      • Security
      • Trade and Economies
      • All Topics
    • Research
      • Publications
      • Transatlantic Takes
    • Perspectives
      • Audio
      • Video
      • Blog post
      • In The News
  • Stay Informed
In the News

What the UK Election Results Mean for the World

May 11, 2015

Daniel Twining

The Conservative Party's decisive victory in Britain's May 7 elections has launched a cottage industry of doomsayers predicting the United Kingdom's dissolution, its exit from the European Union -- dubbed "Brexit," and a further diminution of its role on the global stage. While Scottish secession looms as an abiding concern, Britain's friends and trading partners around the world should see much to celebrate. From a global perspective, there are three positive takeaways from last week's election results, as well as two lurking dangers that must guide the new government in London.

First, polling earlier this year by Chatham House and YouGov revealed that a  clear majority -- over six in 10 British citizens -- believe their country should remain a great power rather than accepting decline. A similar majority believe the U.K. has a duty to uphold international security. In its first five-year term, the Conservative Party, in coalition with the Liberal Democrats, slashed spending on defense and foreign policy and seemed to withdraw from a front-line role in global affairs. In its second term, Prime Minister David Cameron's party, which showed a canny grasp of public opinion in this election campaign, should recognize that the consensus in Britain is for internationalism, not isolationism -- and for action to rebuild the country's global influence. 

Nikkei Asian Review
Read the full article

Explore:

Europe Program
Asia Program
Security and Defense Program

Related Content

Transatlantic Take

The Urgency of a U.S.-Europe-India Democratic Entente to Sustain the Free and Open Order

Feb 11, 2021 | By Daniel Twining

Photo credit: Kangaru / Shutterstock.com

In the News

Making Sense of Trump's Climate Surprise

Jun 3, 2017 | By Daniel Twining
Strengthening Transatlantic Cooperation

Our Organization

  • About GMF
  • Career Opportunities
  • Our Partners
  • Press Room
  • Support Our Work
  • Core Values

Our Work

  • Leadership
  • Policy
  • Civil Society
  • Research & Analysis

Our Experts

  • Find an Expert

Follow

  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Diversity Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Credits

Stay Informed

Don’t miss out on the latest from GMF. Sign up to receive emailed newsletters, announcements, and event notifications.

Subscribe