The European Union (EU) would survive Britain leaving the bloc, and a Brexit could even spur European leaders into taking a new direction, the German Finance Minister has said. Speaking to the University of Basel’s European Institute, the Wolfgang Schäuble said that although a Brexit would be a setback, he remained optimistic for the future of Europe. “Even a Brexit would, without doubt, just force us to take a new approach and create a new dynamic.”,” he told the gathered audience in Switzerland. Frankfurter Allgemeine reports that despite Europe’s currently problems, Mr Schäuble said he remained “totally optimistic” for the EU’s future, hinting that Brussels may take advantage of the continent’s multiple crises to push for further integration. Despite this, he warned the bloc currently has a “crisis of legitimacy” thanks in part to the ongoing migrant influx. “It is quite a long, difficult path ahead of us,” he said. His comments indicate a change of tone from previous remarks, when he claimed that Brexit would make Europe “less stable, more volatile”. He even said last month that Germany “would cry” if Britain leaves the EU. Britain goes to the polls in June to decide whether it should leave the