New publication by Mads Dagnis Jensen

The Brexit negotiations endured a turbulent year in 2018. Nevertheless, member states and EU institutions were able to produce timely and coherent negotiating positions on Brexit. Just as importantly, they have appeared, by and large, united and have not broken rank in the negotiations despite some attempts by the UK to play a divide‐and‐conquer strategy. This article sets out to explain the unexpected unity of the EU in the Article 50 negotiations. To explain the unexpected unity of the EU27 and the EU's institutions, the article develops and operationalizes four different models; namely, the rational choice model, the identity model, the bureaucratic model and the framing model. Building on comprehensive empirical material, the article examines the explanatory value of the models.