Brexit is full of surprises. The result was a surprise even for the Leavers. For me and many others, it was a sad surprise. No longer was the European Union an irreversible project. It was established to create irreversible economic and political bonds for the sake of an ever-lasting peace. The Union embodied values, and the most important of all was: peace. The EU was and is much more than an economic added value. The Union is not an aim in itself. It is a peace project. Brexit has national sovereignty as a goal in itself. If the EU falls apart, peace is not guaranteed. It is a sad thing that the Brexit debate is mainly about trade and the City of London. Much more is at stake.

It was a happy surprise that support for EU membership amongst the citizens of the remaining 27 member states increased dramatically after Brexit. For a large majority of them, Brexit was not a template. It would add instability to an already unstable world. The EU had become part of our DNA, even if we lack enthusiasm for it. For young people, a return to the old world of borders and national currencies seems unworldly. If any Britons thought that Brexit would be the beginning of the end of the EU, the start of the unravelling process, this was not the case. It was the first in a long series of miscalculations on the part of some in Britain.

Another surprise was the unity of the remaining 27 member states during the first phase of the Brexit negotiations. Britain is negotiating with a bloc that speaks with one voice. It means that we have an answer to Henry Kissinger’s question “Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?”. You can now call Brussels! By contrast, Britain speaks with many voices and is not so united anymore. It is obvious that in the talks on the future EU– UK relationship the EU has to work hard to remain united, but we are used to compromise. The EU is based on compromise.