The UK’s decision to leave the EU has caused much soul-searching across the bloc with an almost universal acknowledgement that Brussels needs to change. Euroskeptics across the bloc now believe it’s time for their countries to leave the EU.
The President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz said that the EU "respects the result" but it has its own responsibilities after now having clarity that the UK intends 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," Schulz said.
The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the UK’s decision to leave the bloc was a "sad day for Europe."
"The news from Britain is really sobering. It looks like a sad day for Europe and Britain," the German Foreign Ministry quoted Steinmeier as saying on its official Twitter account.
His counterpart from France Jean-Marc Ayrault was equally downbeat, saying it was "sad for the United Kingdom." He added on Twitter: "Europe will continue" but at the same time, it needs to "react and rediscover the confidence of its peoples."
There is also a degree of acceptance from politicians across the EU that the body needs to reform. The Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski mentioned that the rejection of the EU was a signal that some concepts of the bloc need to be changed.
"This is bad news for Europe, for Poland. This is a great dilemma for the eurocrats, we all want to keep the EU, the question is in what shape," Waszczykowski told private broadcaster TV Republika.
"We will be trying to use this situation to make the European politicians aware why this happened. And it happened because this concept, which was created some time ago, is no longer popular in Europe," he added.
Hugarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was more damning of his criticism of the EU saying that the biggest lesson from Britain’s Brexit is that "Brussels must hear the voice of the people."
"Why is Hungary in the EU? Hungary is in the EU because we believe in a strong Europe," Orban added.
"But Europe is strong only if it can give answers to major issues such as immigration that would strengthen Europe itself and not weaken it. The EU failed to give these answers."
The result in the British referendum has galvanized nationalist parties across Europe, with France’s far right National Front party calling for the country to hold a vote on European Union membership.
"Victory for freedom!" FN chief Marine Le Pen said. "We now need to hold the same referendum in France and in (other) EU countries." (RT)
