To be or not to be European. That is the question! Today the UK gave its response to the referendum on staying in the European Union. The decision of the British is now a fact- 51.9 % voted to “LEAVE” the EU, making England the first country to separate from the Union.

After a long struggle between the camps of Euro-skeptics and pro-Europe, the United Kingdom has decided to leave the EU. Ever since the announcement of the referendum results we began to feel the consequences of the people’s choice. Feelings are once again polarized – there is frustration, anger, shock, joy. Some declared the day as “Independence day”, others as a historic mistake, a sad day for Europe and a tragedy for UK.
There are many points of view from which we can look at the consequences of the Brexit -economic, political, social and of course international.

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Yesterday the British pound reached its highest level in a year, and today it suffered the biggest crash in 31 years. This morning, we witnessed the pound declining by 10 % – something unseen since 1985. Only in the morning hours the City lost nearly 100 billion pounds. This naturally drags the euro, which declined by 3 percent. By the end of the working day in Europe the international markets lost around 2 trillion dollars. Britain is expected to undergo months of deep economic instability and uncertainty. Central banks were in “crisis mode” all day long. The Swiss central bank also intervened to weaken the franc.

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Something we could clearly see analyzing the results of the referendum is the division between age and regions.

Scotland and Northern Ireland voted clearly “REMAIN”. Following that vote the Scottish first minister- Nicola Sturgeon announced that the Independence referendum should be brought back to the table. She said, the choice of Scotland is an obvious proof of their desire to remain in the European Union – 62% to Remain. This puts once again the integrity of the United Kingdom under threat. In 2014 was held the first referendum on Scotland staying as a part of the United Kingdom. Back then 55 % of the Scottish population voted to remain.
In Northern Ireland people also voted 56 % in favor of EU membership. The representative of the Irish nationalist party announced that henceforth England lose any right to represent the interests of the Irish.
The upcoming months will undoubtedly be a period of division and challenges for the Kingdom. Forcing Scotland and Northern Ireland to leave against their will, will undoubtedly bring consequences in the short term.

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Division of opinion by age also occurred in the British society.
In the latest results – 75% of people between 18 and 24 support British membership in the European Union. 56% of people aged 25-49 also voted to remain in the EU.
We can compare these results with the opinion of the voters over 65. Only 30% of them support the country’s membership. A huge 70% want the country to leave the Union.
The younger generation will have to walk away from the EU and to take on a new and uncertain road, against their will.

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British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation after losing the “IN” campaign.

In the hours following the official results, Prime Minister Cameron issued a statement accepting the peoples vote and announcing his resignation by October 2016

It was precisely Cameron who promised a referendum so the British people can “have their say”. This happened during the last parliamentary elections. In an effort to win people’s support and love, Cameron himself put his political career on risk. As a pro-European, he had become the face of the campaign to remain in the Union. But his image suffered enormous damage after his involvement in the Panama papers scandal. That definitely affected the campaign he led and gave advantage to the euro-skeptics.

The withdrawal of the Prime Minister becomes an incredible opportunity for another candidate for the PM position – Boris Johnson. Former Mayor of London from conservative party appears as the favorite for the office. His eventual election will be another victory for EU’s opponents, both in the United Kingdom and Europe.

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Many politicians from around the world today congratulated the UK for its choice.

Leader of the far-right party in France – the National Front, Marine Le Pen wrote on Twitter that Britain’s decision is a victory for the freedom. She urged the rest of the EU countries to follow its example and to call for their own referendums.

Another politician who expressed his congratulations was Donald Trump. Ironically, the candidate for US presidency called the results as “something fantastic”, while visiting Scotland. He viewed the British choice as an attempt to take back control of the country.

François Hollande also commented on the decision. The president of France said the EU must demonstrate now, more than ever, power and stability so it can overcome this obstacle. He also emphasized that we should not forget the idea of the Union and not blindly follow populist parties that represent the greatest threat to Europe. The president promised that he will take many initiatives to strengthen the Union and the euro zone.

Angela Merkel expressed belief that the European Union is strong enough and Member States will maintain its unity.

Meanwhile, the Presidents of the European Commission – Jean-Claude Juncker and the European Council Donald Tusk said they expect the UK to implement the decision to leave as soon as possible.

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The UK referendum should be a wake up call for Europe to restore the communication between the politicians and the people. Adding to the picture the growing influence of nationalist parties in Europe, similar initiatives may prove fatal for the EU.
The role of European institutions in the upcoming months and years is crucial, meaning to restore the faith of the Member States in the idea of a united Europe.
BREXIT should mark a new period for the European Union – one of better policy, respecting the specific needs of each country, and strengthening the democracy and balanced economic growth.

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• Viktoria Buchkova

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