The Brexit vote: a divided nation, a divided continent

Abstract:

The outcome of the British referendum on European Union (EU) membership sent shockwaves through Europe. While Britain is an outlier when it comes to the strength of Euroscepticism, the anti-immigration and anti-establishment sentiments that produced the referendum outcome are gaining strength across Europe.

Analysing campaign and survey data, this article shows that the divide between winners and losers of globalization was a key driver of the vote. Favouring British EU exit, or ‘Brexit’, was particularly common among less-educated, poorer and older voters, and those who expressed concerns about immigration and multi-culturalism. While there is no evidence of a short-term contagion effect with similar membership referendums in other countries, the Brexit vote nonetheless poses a serious challenge to the political establishment across Europe.

• Primary Source

ESO: Information Guide: The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-august-2017-edition/

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