Internationalisation of a Mayor: Sadiq Khan’s Involvement in the Brexit Process

Year 2024, Volume: 25 Issue: 2, 440 - 453

Pınar Uz Hançarlı

Abstract

After his re-election as the mayor of London, Khan underlined “the scars of Brexit” that are not healed yet. His political stance against leaving the EU has formed a critical interference of Khan in a foreign policy decision of national government. In the light of the literature on internationalisation of non-central government, this study aims to explain Khan’s “actorness” in the aftermath of Brexit referendum by utilizing Hocking’s (1999) theoretical framework. Dimensions of the mayor’s involvement in the Brexit process are explained under the categories of initiators, channels and targets; yet a new grouping titled voices proposed by this study would complete the whole picture of analysis. The press releases derived from the official website of London government constitute the basis of research material.

Keywords

Sadiq Khan, London, Brexit, non-central government, internationalisation

Bir Belediye Başkanının Uluslararasılaşması: Sadiq Khan’ın Brexit Sürecine Katılımı

Abstract

Londra belediye başkanı olarak yeniden seçilmesinin ardından Khan, "Brexit'in henüz iyileşmemiş yaralarının" altını çizmiştir. AB'den ayrılmaya karşı siyasi duruşu, Khan'ın merkezi hükümetin dış politika kararlarına eleştirel bir müdahale oluşturmuştur. Bu çalışma, yerel yönetimin uluslararasılaşmasına ilişkin literatür ışığında, Hocking'in (1999) teorik çerçevesinden yararlanarak Khan'ın Brexit referandumu sonrasındaki “aktörlüğünü” açıklamayı amaçlamaktadır. Sadiq Kahn’ın Brexit sürecine dahil olmasının boyutları, öncüler, yönlendiriciler ve hedefler kategorileri altında açıklanmış, bu çalışma tarafından önerilen sözcüler başlıklı yeni bir gruplama ile daha bütünlüklü bir inceleme yapılmaya çalışılmıştır. Londra hükümetinin resmi internet sayfasından alınan basın bültenleri, araştırma materyalinin temelini oluşturmaktadır.

Keywords

Sadiq Khan, Londra, Brexit, yerel hükümet, uluslararasılaşma

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