André Wilkens, Germany
The Clash: Should I stay or should I go

For André Wilkens "Should I stay or should I go" is the soundtrack for Brexit. In his contribution to the European Songbook, the director of the European Cultural Foundation pleads above all for one thing: Let's stay friends.

By André Wilkens

Lately I've been listening to "The Clash" and their song “Should I stay or should I go” more often.
The song describes a relationship that has seen better days. They quarrel, get annoyed, some days are good, others are bad. He feels oppressed by her, has the feeling she wants to see him on his knees. She doesn't even like his clothes anymore, probably too eccentric. She used to be into them, or was it just an act? Does she even want to ditch him? He just doesn't know what to do. He calls her darling. Does she still love him? Does he still love her? Have they ever loved each other? If only she would tell him to stay, he would do it, even until the end of time, it says in the song. He knows, no matter what he decides, it will be difficult. If he leaves, there'll be trouble, and if he stays, probably more.
The Clash wrote the soundtrack for Brexit with "Should I stay or should I go".
 

On 23 June 2016, 52 percent of British citizens voted in a referendum to leave the EU. 48 percent of British citizens preferred to stay, especially the young, better educated, urbanites, the Scots and the Northern Irish. It was close, the proponents of “Go” fought hard, lied, stoked nationalism. An MP on the “Stay” side was mur-dered. Facts were discredited as unnecessary frills. After the referendum it became clear that the “Go” side had no plan whatsoever for the time afterwards. It was all about egos, time-worn nostalgia, anger and the pleasure of teaching those "up there" a lesson. Some of them probably also felt a hankering for "Anarchy in
2 the UK". This is why divorces usually occur, not through calm, rational calculation as to whether a separation
would be more practical or not. Separation and divorce are emotional. The 52 percent were more emotional.
The gut KO’d the brain.
Divorce hurts. On both sides. In this case, too. There's a lot to do after living together for 43 years, building
the house together, making rules, producing children. Unraveling it all will be hard work.
Let's get a decent divorce, as between adults, as far as possible. And damn it, let's stay friends.