Britons Fight for Post-Brexit EU Citizenship

The United Kingdom may soon be leaving the European Union, but many of its citizens – especially those that live and work abroad in member states such as the Czech Republic – are fighting to maintain their rights as EU citizens.

“The idea is simply to guarantee those who want it some of the same rights they had as full EU citizens, including the right of residence in the EU, and to be able to vote in European elections and be represented by an MEP,” Goerens says.

For Britons, this would mean maintaining the rights they currently enjoy as EU citizens in a post-Brexit world. But what would they – or their country – have to give up in return?

From an individual’s perspective, the stance seems reasonable. Logically, however, EU states would probably request the same in return – that their citizens maintain similar rights in the country that has left the EU.

Given the anti-immigration stance that was one of the key factors in the Brexit leave campaign, this seems like an unlikely scenario for current UK leaders to propose.

Still, that hasn’t stopped UK citizens from trying.

“We are proud European citizens,” the petition states. “We have supported and been supported by the EU for decades, and we fought to Remain in Europe.

“Please offer a way for us to stay.”

British expats aren’t alone in their fight to retain rights. Prime Minister Theresa May has also been working to arrange a reciprocal rights deal for UK expats living across EU countries. 

A few EU member states have yet to agree to the deal, but it’s speculated an announcement could be made at next month’s EU summit in Brussels.