Totallypearshaped Exactly what part of living in 'EU central' (aka Brussels) didn't you understand? Thus, as I live in Belgium, I don't live in a country where politicians are shot and stabbed.
As my dh's job is on terms and conditions that aren't affected by freedom of movement, I will be just fine in a year, and will still be in Belgium.
I think being in NATO, and having a permanent seat on the UN Security Council gives us clout, as does being in the IMF, and the G7, as evidently the EU does as it would like our seat at the UN. If we leave, they can try to get France's - bonne chance with that.
What you say makes no difference to me as my postal proxy has already been sent off.
With further enlargement coming, every current EU member state will find its influence within the EU diluted. You may be happy with that; you may be happy with what the EZ has done to Greece; you may like the undemocratic nature of the beast; hell, given the amount of the Irish in Brussels, you may be part of the Berlaymont Bubble, sitting in The Old Oak, Kitty's, The James Joyce or the Wild Geese tonight posting this.
I know that the UK needs to leave the EU before it implodes. You choose to stay, I would like to leave.