“We lost patience with the special role that Britain always played in European politics. We didn’t do enough to help them come to a different referendum result,” he said.
In January 2020, the U.K. left the EU after a contentious referendum in June 2016, which the Leave campaign won by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.
Merz, whose center-right CDU is flying high in opinion polls, added he wanted closer ties between the U.K. and the EU.
“We have a plethora of opportunities, at least in foreign and defense policy, that we should explore together,” he said. “We Germans have a huge strategic interest in keeping the U.K. closely engaged in Europe.”
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTION POLL OF POLLS
For more polling data from across Europe visit POLITICO Poll of Polls.
