The Impact of Brexit on the European Parliament Political Groups

The article deals with the results of the European Parliament elections in the United Kingdom, the distribution of British deputies within the European Parliament (EP) political groups and the possible consequences for the shaped fraction structure which might arise as a result of their withdrawal from the EP. The author comes to the conclusion that the results of the 2016 referendum and the 2019 European elections in the United Kingdom are quantitatively and geographically very similar, and the UK is still split into proLeave and pro-Remain regions. The parties with a clear position on the EU membership such as eurosceptic "Brexit" party and pro-European Liberal Democrats, gained the largest number of votes. Having internal contradictions on the European issue Conservative and Labour parties showed the worst results for the last hundred years. The presence of the British MPs in the European Parliament had an impact on the formation of pan-European political groups, especially the associations of eurosceptics. Despite the fact that the right-wing populists managed to form a large group "Identity and democracy", they have not increased its influence on the work of Parliament due to the fact that "Brexit" party remained outside the political groups of the EP. It is pro-European liberals and greens (not Eurosceptics) who will be mainly affected by the British EMP withdrawal. Nevertheless, after the United Kingdom leaves the EU, pro-European parties will keep majority, and the existing balance of power in the European Parliament will remain.