A group of influential German politicians and business leaders including the woman primed to take over from Angela Merkel as chancellor have urged Britain to stay in the EU as Brexit looms.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who became leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union last month, joined more than two dozen political, business and cultural figures in penning an open letter to the Times, arguing “from the bottom of our hearts” that Britain should not leave the bloc.
“Britain has become part of who we are as Europeans,” the letter read. “We would miss Britain as part of the European Union, especially in these troubled times. Therefore Britons should know: from the bottom of our hearts, we want them to stay.”
The letter said they respected the choice of the British people to leave, but if the UK decided to stay, “our door will always remain open”.
The letter – also signed by the chief executive of Airbus, Thomas Enders, and punk singer Campino – said the UK had helped define the European Union as a community of “freedom and prosperity. After the horrors of the Second World War, Britain did not give up on us,” it continued.
“It has welcomed Germany back as a sovereign nation and a European power.
“This we, as Germans, have not forgotten and we are grateful.”
The signatories said that they “respect the choice” of British people who want to leave the EU and, if the country wants to leave for good, “it will always have friends in Germany and Europe”.
But they said the choice was not irreversible and “our door will always remain open”.
