International reactions to the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum of 2016 are the reactions to the decision to leave the European Union by the United Kingdom. The main reaction was on global financial markets experiencing extreme volatility.
International responses European Union
President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said that the result "would not be the beginning of the end of the EU." He later added that he does not expect an "amicable divorce" but it was never "a tight love affair anyway." He called for urgency on separation, even though the EU has no authority to force the invocation of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, as "it doesn't make any sense to wait until October to try and negotiate the terms of their departure. I would like to get started immediately." President of the European Council Donald Tusk said: "This is not a moment for hysterical reactions. Today on behalf of the 27 leaders I can say that we are determined to keep our unity as 27. Until the UK formally leaves the EU, EU law will continue to apply to and within the UK, and by this I mean rights, as well as obligations. All the procedures for the withdrawal of the UK from the EU are set out in the treaties. In order to discuss the details, I have offered an informal meeting of the 27 in the margins of the European council next week. I have also proposed we start a wider reflection of the future of our union. President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz said: "We respect the result. We have clarity for the UK to go its own way. Now is the time for us to behave seriously and responsibly. David Cameron has his responsibilities for his country, we have our responsibilities for the future of the EU. You can see what is happening to sterling on the markets. I don't want the same thing to happen to the euro." He added that "we expect the British government to deliver now." The European Central Bank issued a statement which read: "Following the outcome of the UK referendum, the European Central Bank is closely monitoring financial markets and is in close contact with other central banks. The ECB stands ready to provide additional liquidity, if needed, in euro and foreign currencies. The ECB has prepared for this contingency in close contact with the banks that it supervises and considers that the euro area banking system is resilient in terms of capital and liquidity." Leader of the European People's Party and German Christian Social Union MEP Manfred Weber wrote: "Exit negotiations should be concluded within 2 years at max. There cannot be any special treatment. Leave means leave." French Left Party MEP Jean-Luc Mélenchon said: "This is the end of a world that begins with this Brexit. This teaches a lesson to the whole of Europe; either we change it or we leave it. This is the time for a plan B." Independent Irish MEP Luke 'Ming' Flanagan commented: "[The] Irish government now needs to step up to the plate at [the] European Council...No barriers to trade with our biggest trading partner" and that the European Union had "crumbled under its own weight in arrogance." Polish MEP Danuta Hubner suggested the potential disuse of English as working language of the European Union:"We have a regulation where every EU country has the right to notify one official language. The Irish have notified Gaelic and the Maltese have notified Maltese, so you have only the UK notifying English...if you do not have the UK, you do not have English." German EU Commissioner Gunther Oettinger added: "We have a series of member states that speak English, and English is the world language which we all accept;" he also suggested that if Scotland was to join separately it could apply for English as their primary language. The UK EU commissioner, Jonathan Hill, resigned on 25 June ahead of a vote in the EU parliament initiated by EPP, S&D, ALDE and Greens asking for his removal. He said, "I don’t believe it is right that I should carry on as the British commissioner as though nothing had happened". Latvia's Valdis Dombrovskis took over his portfolio (financial stability and services).
Member States – Chancellor Christian Kern said: "I do not fear a domino effect." However, he added that "Europe will lose status and significance in the world because of Britain’s step. The long-term economic effects will also be felt for some time." Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said that "a domino effect on other countries cannot be ruled out." Although he added that the EU as a whole would survive. The Freedom Party's (FPÖ) former presidential candidate Norbert Hofer, who lost narrowly in the 2016 Austrian presidential election (before it was annulled), warned Austria could hold an Auxit referendum on EU membership within a year. "The founding fathers [of the EU] wanted to ensure closer economic cooperation because states that cooperate economically do not wage war against each other. That worked very well until the political union was founded. If a course is set within a year further towards centralisation instead of taking [the EU’s] core values into account, then we must ask Austrians whether they want to be members." Leader of the Freedom Party of Austria Heinz-Christian Strache demanded the EU's Juncker should resign "out of decency and out of respect for a better future for Europe." – Prime Minister Charles Michel said that EU member states should meet to "define priorities and set out a new future for Europe." – Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said of potential contagion that "only Bulgaria, Romania and Greece will remain when the domino effect is set off." – President Miloš Zeman said that the result could have an unpleasant influence on the European Union because the United Kingdom will no longer balance French and German influence. He also noted that he was disappointed by the result and that it could worsen the economic conditions in the Czech Republic. Zeman later said that he would hold a referendum about leaving the European Union even though he would like to vote for remain in such a referendum. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said that the result is "not the end of the world, nor it is the end of the European Union. He also said Europe should change because the project needs stronger support of citizens. After going for an EU summit, he added: "We need to reaffirm the benefits of European integration for growth and security in Europe. We need to make the EU ideas more attractive for people. A new plan of relations between the EU and Britain is needed. We should take into account that a lot of Britons want their country to stay in the EU." Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Andrej Babiš said the European Union should respect the decision and should not force remaining countries to stronger integration. Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek urged Juncker to resign, saying he was a "negative symbol" of federalism that British voters rejected. The ODS issued a statement that read the result was "the last warning before others will go." It also called for change in functioning and strategy of European Union. Leader of the party Petr Fiala said that the Czech Republic "should reconsider its existence in European Union" and negotiate new conditions for the country. Eurosceptic parties welcomed the result and called for a similar referendum. The Party of Free Citizens called for similar referendum because "European Union has changed since 2003 and three million newly eligible citizens could not vote at the time due to their age. Freedom and Direct Democracy stated that it will propose, in parliament, a referendum on the withdrawal of the Czech Republic from the European Union. Senator Ivo Valenta called for a "Czexit" and criticised the European Union for bad legislation, bad immigration policy and for having an army of bureaucrats. – Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said that the result is "very sad for Denmark but it will be respected" and that "the British referendum does not change the fact that Denmark belongs in the EU. The EU is Denmark's best opportunity to influence the world that we are a part of for better or worse. We can do some things better alone, but we are stronger together. Denmark and the Danish economy are highly dependent on the European community." Leader of Danish People's Party Kristian Thulesen Dahl praised the result but added that it's too early for Denmark to have a similar vote. "It will probably take a few a years, and I believe that Denmark should push that Britain gets the best possible deal, and after that, it will be quite natural to ask the Danish people whether they want to go the way of the British." – Minister for Foreign Affairs and the leader of the Finns Party Timo Soini said that "the nation has had its say" and that "any retaliation and whinge is out of the question." Teija Tiilikainen, the director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, stated that "Brexit seems to have had a strong impact on Finnish attitudes toward the EU," Kaj Turunen, a Finns Party Member of Parliament and the chairman of the Parliament of Finland's commerce committee, stated that this was not the time for Finland to leave the Eurozone. – President Francois Hollande said: "I profoundly regret this decision for the United Kingdom and for Europe, but the choice is theirs and we have to respect it." He later said that it "will be painful for Britain but... as in all divorces, it will be painful for those who stay behind, too." Prime Minister Manuel Valls said: "At stake is the breakup, pure and simple, of the union. Now is the time to invent another Europe." Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron accused the UK of taking the EU "hostage" with a referendum called to solve a domestic political problem of eurosceptics and that "the failure of the British government [has opened up] the possibility of the crumbling of Europe." Les Republicains Mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart said: "The British must take the consequences of their choice. We are in a strong position to push, to press this request for a review and we are asking the president [Francois Hollande] to bring his weight [to the issue]...there must be an element of division, of sharing." Leader for the Paris region Valérie Pécresse wrote: "It's a thunderbolt. Nobody believed this could happen. I was convinced nobody would choose to undo what we have strived so long to build. We need to rethink Europe. The French must know that the EU protects them. We need a Europe that is more democratic and less bureaucratic." Front National leader Marine Le Pen wrote: "Victory for freedom! As I have been asking for years, now we need to have the same referendum in France and in the countries of the EU." She also said: "I'll be Madame Frexit if the European Union doesn't give us back our monetary, legislative, territorial and budget sovereignty." Her niece and party member, Marion Marechal-Le Pen wrote: "From #Brexit to #Frexit: It's now time to import democracy to our country. The French must have the right to choose!" France Arise leader Nicolas Dupont-Aignan commented "For half a century the elites claim to 'build' Europe on the backs of citizens or against them on the grounds they would be unable, intellectually and morally, to adhere to the so-called grand project. But people are not as stupid or as their malicious rulers hope. So they came to understand the real intention of this [so-called] 'Europe' war machine against the countries, democracy and social justice. No offense to many commentators, the people are and always have been stronger than oligarchies, freedom always prevails over the dictatorship." Ambassador to the U.S. Gerard Araud wrote: "Now to the other Members states to save the EU from unravelling which excludes business as usual, especially in Brussels. Reform or die!"