The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator spelled out the bloc’s conditions for talks on Wednesday, saying securing the rights of some 4.5 million EU and British citizens living abroad was paramount.
Sovereignty lies in the hands of the people. The people have the right to call for referendums on any public issues. The legitimacy of referendums outranks the legitimacy of the legislative state, and on any public issue, the people have the right to call for a referendum. Norway and the Swiss chose not to join the EU, thereby choosing their future in an act of self-determination. To ensure that the efforts of the people will not be in vain, the direct vehicle of the referendum must have priority over representative or indirect democracy. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.