– Riven in two –
The campaign has left Britain riven in two, marked by the brutal murder of pro-“Remain” British lawmaker Jo Cox, a mother of two who was stabbed, shot and left bleeding to death on the pavement a week ahead of the vote.
European leaders will open a two-day summit on Tuesday to grapple with the British decision.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned this month that a British departure would be a shock requiring quick action to avert the “disintegration” of the bloc.
“Small countries that are economically at least as affluent as the UK are the main ones at risk, especially Denmark and potentially also Sweden,” said Carsten Nickels of the Teneo analyst group in Brussels.
Immigration and an erosion of economic security have become rallying cries for populist challenges that remain scattered across in Europe, just as they have for Donald Trump’s campaign in the US presidential election.
The bloc will have to learn lessons not only from events in Britain but from the rest of Europe, Juncker said ahead of the referendum, warning against a rapid push for more integration.
“This euroscepticism is not only present in Britain,” he said.
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