Pragmatic Europhiles? The Liberal Democrats’ ambiguous commitment to EU membership in the post-Brexit referendum period

The article examines how the UK Liberal Democrats reshaped their position on Europe after the 2016 Brexit referendum and how this strategic repositioning affected both their electoral fortunes and internal party dynamics. After its collapse in 2015, the party tried to turn a traditional vote loser into a vote winner. It gradually radicalised its position between 2016 and 2019, arguing successively for a soft Brexit, a second referendum and the revocation of Brexit, in order to benefit from voter polarisation and gain the support of Remainers. Following the disappointing 2019 election, the party deliberately blurred its EU position, downplaying Brexit and focusing instead on domestic issues in order to attract a broader coalition of voters in Conservative-facing seats. Although this approach created tensions and a growing divide with strongly pro‑European members, it contributed to the party’s revival in 2024. The article concludes that the party’s pro‑Europeanism remains pragmatic, conditional, and primarily shaped by electoral incentives.