The United Kingdom has endured a year with Boris Johnson as prime minister. Though he has headed several laudable initiatives, Johnson’s leadership is, on the whole, shambolic.

With elections for the European Parliament approaching on the 23 May and the UK now having to take part in them after Theresa May was granted more time to piece together a withdrawal agreement, it is worth contemplating the rarely considered view of the Brexit spectacle from the other side of the Channel.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the global trend of tighter restrictions on foreign investments. The introduction of a new EU-wide foreign investment screening framework opens a new chapter in EU’s external relations with third states.