The UK's EU referendum: All you need to know

[Kuwaiti Girl]

 

[The Sandman]

Poor sweden......

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

Without the European Union, Europe will go back to being the hotbed of wars and conflicts:

 

[SMS Derfflinger]

Without the European Union, Europe will go back to being the hotbed of wars and conflicts:

Nope.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Didnt expect this result, still dont think there is any reason to be hysterical though, Brits are smart, they didnt join Eurozone from the begin with now one sees why, they want to stay independent.

Merkel was really disappointed though, you could hear it from her speech.
So, @mike2000 is back is UK gonna become 51st state of US or are you guys planning to revive the empire?

Thats where people go wrong. We are not leaving Europe, we cant even if we wanted to. Lol We are not GOD afterall to move our land/geographical location. Lol We will still be Europeans , we(like some European countries) will not just be in the E.U thats all. Nothing much will change apart from some minor issues. I don't understand why people are so woke up by this. Lol
All these fear mongering and overreaction is uncalled for but understandable. Europe will keep moving forward, but it will be a new Europe with new rules and an E.U more willing to reform than be complacent, which is good for the continent as a whole.

Without the European Union, Europe will go back to being the hotbed of wars and conflicts:

Keep dreaming

 

[Metanoia]

Boy oh boy....people are making olympus out of a mole hill. The Scandinavian countries have existed without being part of the EU....why can't the UK?

Even the Brexit supporters said that there will be a short term economic shock...which we are currently witnessing. However in the long run things will be back to normal (or even great) for the UK.

 

[SvenSvensonov]

The Scandinavian countries have existed without being part of the EU.

But two of the three Scandinavian nations (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) are EU member states.

Only Norway isn't:

Three out of the five Nordic nations are also part of the EU. Again, Norway isn't, and neither is Iceland. Sweden, Denmark and Finland are EU member nations.

Norway subsists mostly on resource exports including gas and oil to Mainland Europe and maintains strong economic ties and favorable trade deals with the EU, as Britain may now explore. Iceland subsists on black metal and Norwegian good will.

*Iceland's economy is actually rather diverse and government expenditures are very low compared to the other Nordic nations. It's energy imports are also tiny as most of its power comes from geothermal.

 

[Arabian Stallion]

Without the European Union, Europe will go back to being the hotbed of wars and conflicts:

Europe has historically been a hotbed of civil wars, wars, world wars, religious and sectarian conflicts etc.
The scale of which have never been seen anywhere else. Whether in distant eras or more recent ones (WW1, WW2). This map clearly illustrates something that every knowledgeable person was well aware of. It's a shame for the trolls from a few European countries here that desperately try to paint another picture while embarrassing themselves in the process.

As for the EU, which is an alien construct in in many ways, is doomed to fragment further. This is just the beginning. Unless the institution seriously reforms.

Anyway Europe is an aging and declining continent. Its influence/importance will only decrease for each year. Asia will regain its traditional place as the most dominant continent in a not too distant future. Simple demographics will ensure that. There is a reason why China, India and the Arab world have been the most wealthy and advanced areas of the world for millennia before the rise of Europe, starting in the 14th century.

As for why the UK left, well, it is mainly due to the immigration policy and the increasingly supranational decision-making procedures in the EU that alienates the ordinary man and woman in most member states.

The arguments mentioned in this video below are probably widespread among the Brexit voters in the UK.

Anyway from an European perspective Brexit is bad news as it weakens the already struggling EU. I don't understand why the UK did not use its energy to try and reform the EU instead of abandoning ship. My cousins in London, who mostly voted to remain, are quite baffled by the result. Especially as yesterday's result might lead to the fragmentation of not only the EU but the UK itself! Ironically most Brexit voters are Unionists and they probably did not imagine that their opposition to the EU could open the Pandora's box in this regard! Hilarious in many ways. It is crucial for Europe's future influence to remain united rather than fragmented if the goal is to keep the current influence alive. Ironically the nationalists in Europe want a return to the idea of strong nation states rather than the openly declared goal of the EU to create a strong federal European state. Anyway I am sure that the UK will survive.

 

[A.P. Richelieu]

Bad move for Britain! Just what Scottish nationalists wanted.. just the oxygen needed to re-energize their stalled independence demand. Another referendum is not far away. Northern Ireland will try to gain something out of today's shock result. Downing street should have expected this before boldly announcing the referendum!

Then again.. Brussels won't be spared either. There will be wave of demands for referendum in other countries such as Netherlands, France, Denmark, Sweden etc.. Today's result is a lose-lose situation for both EU & UK!

In Sweden, 72% of voters want to remain, so a referendum is not on the table.
We are closer to joining NATO than leaving EU.

 

[vostok]

View attachment 313309​

 

[Madali]

I saw those charts in the Guardian but isn't it more concerning that UK has so many people without formal qualification?

And wouldn't people without formal qualification, let's say people such as plumbers and cab drivers, are more concerned about their future and are seeing competition from east European immigrants, than a bunch of kids in London who have just gotten their liberal arts degree?

 

[mike2000 is back]

I have think about this...and come to the conclusion, it feels like the loss of family. I will miss you guys.

We are still here.

Europe has historically been a hotbed of civil wars, wars, world wars, religious and sectarian conflicts etc.
The scale of which have never been seen anywhere else. Whether in distant eras or more recent ones (WW1, WW2). This map clearly illustrates something that every knowledgeable person was well aware of. It's a shame for the trolls from a few European countries here that desperately try to paint another picture while embarrassing themselves in the process.

As for the EU, which is an alien construct in in many ways, is doomed to fragment further. This is just the beginning. Unless the institution seriously reforms.

Anyway Europe is an aging and declining continent. Its influence/importance will only decrease for each year. Asia will regain its traditional place as the most dominant continent in a not too distant future. Simple demographics will ensure that. There is a reason why China, India and the Arab world have been the most wealthy and advanced areas of the world for millennia before the rise of Europe, starting in the 14th century.

As for why the UK left, well, it is mainly due to the immigration policy and the increasingly supranational decision-making procedures in the EU that alienates the ordinary man and woman in most member states.

The arguments mentioned in this video below are probably widespread among the Brexit voters in the UK.

Anyway from an European perspective Brexit is bad news as it weakens the already struggling EU. I don't understand why the UK did not use its energy to try and reform the EU instead of abandoning ship. My cousins in London, who mostly voted to remain, are quite baffled by the result. Especially as yesterday's result might lead to the fragmentation of not only the EU but the UK itself! Ironically most Brexit voters are Unionists and they probably did not imagine that their opposition to the EU could open the Pandora's box in this regard! Hilarious in many ways. It is crucial for Europe's future influence to remain united rather than fragmented if the goal is to keep the current influence alive. Ironically the nationalists in Europe want a return to the idea of strong nation states rather than the openly declared goal of the EU to create a strong federal European state. Anyway I am sure that the UK will survive.

Another scaremongering dream about how we and Europe are going to collapse. Lol nothing new we haven't heard before.Lol. I will like to see those fearmongers reaction a while from now when things get back to normal and life/growth resumes. I'm sure they will move on to the next doomsday prediction about another country's future. You are right about one thing though, Only a fool will think we can't survive and thrive outside the E.U when small backward countries who are nowhere near us are able to suevive and thrive. Lol

As for Your question about why we didnt stay IN to reform the E.U from the inside. Lool You are funny bruv, seems you dont have a proper knowledge of Europe and the E.U. For the past 40 years, successive British Prime Ministers have tried to make our EU membership work for Britain. So far, whether it was Margaret Thatcher’s hard-line stance, or Tony Blair’s supine grovelling, none have succeeded in positively changing the terms of our long-term EU membership or reforming the E.U as European bureaucrats don't want any changes or reforms

David Cameron had already stated his intention to stay within a ‘reformed’ EU. However,many brits feared this was to be a replay of Harold Wilson’s ill-fated 1975 Referendum, in which largely cosmetic ‘renegotiation’ misled the public into staying. Junker gave the game away when he said 1 day before pur vote that: THERE WILL BE NO MORE REFORMS/NEGOTIATION WHETHER THE U.K REMAINS OR NOT'.lol . Now I bet he will swallow back his words.
http://order-order.com/2016/06/22/juncker-no-reform-vote-remain/

In short E.U bureaucrats don't want any change, if one of Europe's most influential power couldn't even get these useless E.U bureaucrats to reform, then there is no country in the world who will be able to do that. Lol. The E.U will still continue though, life goes on, its not like its the end of the world. However, they need serious reforms and urgently. The way they handled the refugee crisis shows just how pathetic the E.U makes its laws.

But two of the three Scandinavian nations (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) are EU member states.

View attachment 313323

Only Norway isn't:

Three out of the five Nordic nations are also part of the EU. Again, Norway isn't, and neither is Iceland. Sweden, Denmark and Finland are EU member nations.

Norway subsists mostly on resource exports including gas and oil to Mainland Europe and maintains strong economic ties and favorable trade deals with the EU, as Britain may now explore. Iceland subsists on black metal and Norwegian good will.

*Iceland's economy is actually rather diverse and government expenditures are very low compared to the other Nordic nations. It's energy imports are also tiny as most of its power comes from geothermal.

Hahaha.......
Norway stronger and richer outside the E.U

 

[The Sandman]

"Norway is a serious threat to freedom and democracy"

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

Britain went from this:

To this:

 

[mike2000 is back]

Britain went from this:

To this:

That's because he never had the 'luxury' to deal with E.U bureaucrats. If he did today, he will NEVER HAVE ALLOWED GREAT BRITAIN to join in the first place.