He said, despite his own disappointment at the vote to leave, the ability of people in Britain to make such a decision without violence is “a remarkable expression of democracy”.
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The vote in favor of “Brexit,” or Britain leaving the European Union, won with 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent of the vote.
The “Brexit” vote to leave the European Union that plunged United Kingdom politics, global stock markets and the British pound into chaos Friday shows what happens when political elites ignore the ordinary people they claim to represent. But once Article 50 is invoked, according to a briefing paper from the European Parliament, the die would be cast. Cameron, in office since 2010, said it would be up to his successor to formally start the exit process.
The UK should implement Brexit “as soon as possible, however painful that process may be”, senior European Union representatives have said, warning that “any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty”.
Who wants to be the new United Kingdom leader?
Mr. Cameron is likely to step down in October when the Conservative Party chooses a new leader. Johnson made no mention of possibly replacing Cameron when he and leave campaign leaders held a victorious news conference on Friday.
On the immediate economic and financial side, the pound sterling took a beating on the stock markets with it depreciating an astounding 11 percent against the dollar. Prime Minister David Cameron urged the country to remain – and has agreed to step down now after the vote – as urged countless elites around the world who said leaving the European Union would be a disaster of fantastic proportions for the country. Scotland’s first minister said she wanted to open negotiations directly with Brussels, saying the option of a second independence referendum should be “on the table”. Those votes could also include additional referendums over various aspects of the split.
The vote could embolden other nationalist and populist movements across the bloc to call for similar exit referendums.
The other countries across the world are also waiting to see how the United Kingdom will engage with them.
London, Northern Ireland and Scotland were staunchly in support of staying in the European Union, but northern England, Wales and the English shires supported Brexit by strong margins.
Emergency meetings were called around Europe Friday to deal with the fallout from the vote.
“People are angry all over the world”.
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As the FDFA points out on its website: “Current regulations regarding Swiss citizens and companies remain applicable for the time being and nothing will change immediately”.
