Conversations on Europe Videoconference Series wit the University of Pittsburgh: The Dutch Bellwether: What is the Forecast for a "Nexit" or "Frexit"?

By Rachel Johannigmeier

On March 21, 2017, the Jean Monnet European Union Center of Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh held a roundtable discussion entitled "The Dutch Bellwether: What is the Forecast for a 'Nexit' or 'Frexit'?."  Panelists included: Catherine de Vries (Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Essex), Jae-Jae Spoon (Associate Professor with the Department of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh), and Rainbow Murray (Associate Professor in Politics at Queen Mary University of London).  Allyson Delnore (Interim Director of the European Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh) served as moderator.

From the abstract of the roundtable discussion:

After the Brexit referendum in the UK and Trump’s election in the U.S. in 2016, political observers wonder what is in store for 2017. Join us to discuss the results of the March 15, 2017 elections in the Netherlands and the forecast for next month’s elections in France. How is populism fairing in Europe? What does Geert Wilder’s showing in the Netherlands suggest for Marine Le Pen’s prospects to become the next French president? Given the Euroscepticism expressed by both candidates and their popularity in recent polls, how likely is a Netherlands or French exit from the EU?

 A video of the conference can be viewed below or on YouTube: