Michel Barnier, the former European Union chief negotiator for Brexit, reflected on the complex legacy of the United Kingdom’s departure from the EU, describing the current global landscape as increasingly perilous. Speaking from his office in the French National Assembly, where he now serves as a parliamentarian, Barnier recounted personal encounters and offered insights into Brexit’s origins and consequences.

Barnier recalled spending a weekend in France with Stanley Johnson, father of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, through a connection involving his wife and Johnson’s French cousin. The conversations with Stanley Johnson provided Barnier with a perspective on Boris Johnson’s early European views and political pragmatism, which Barnier characterized as cynical but effective in pursuing power.

Appointed a decade ago by then-European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Barnier led the EU’s Brexit negotiation team for four years, navigating challenging talks with multiple British counterparts, including David Davis, Dominic Raab, Steve Barclay, and David Frost. He also engaged with key political figures such as Tony Blair, who advocated for a second Brexit referendum — something Barnier remains skeptical would have occurred — and Nigel Farage, whose efforts to undermine the EU he strongly condemned. Barnier also encountered the European Research Group (ERG), a faction within the Conservative Party known for its hardline Brexit stance.

While acknowledging the economic and political difficulties facing the UK post-Brexit, Barnier rejected the notion that Brussels alone is to blame. He described the claim that all UK issues stem from EU actions as the “great lie,” noting Britain’s sluggish economic growth and contentious immigration debates as factors partly exacerbated, but not solely caused, by Brexit. He emphasized that Brexit has complicated existing challenges rather than creating them outright.

Barnier conceded that the EU itself has shortcomings, particularly in its handling of bureaucracy and border security. He expressed approval for the bloc’s new policies, including seven-day screenings and faster deportations for irregular migrants—measures some observers have compared to the immigration strategies of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Barnier lamented that such steps were long overdue but argued that the UK shared responsibility, along with other member states, for the EU’s slow response to migration issues.

Expressing bafflement over Britain’s decision to leave, Barnier said he “still does not understand why the UK left rather than use its influence to correct the EU.” For him, the UK’s withdrawal has made navigating both internal EU reforms and broader global challenges significantly more difficult, underscoring his view that the world has grown “more dangerous” since Brexit.