brexit_ what the world's papers say

7/25/2019 Brexit_ What the World's Papers Say

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bbc.com

Brexit: What the world's papers say -BBC News

Britain's vote to leave the European Union has caused widespread

dismay in the European media and beyond. Many commentators

see the future of the entire EU at risk from further Eurosceptic

challenges.

'Earthquake in Europe'

The websites of French newspapers have been running live pages

and posting extensive comment.

The weekly new magazine Le Pointhas no doubt that the UK

decision is "causing an earthquake in Europe".

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Le Monde's live page is typical of those in the European countries,

reporting the sharp reaction on currency markets, reassuring

comments by European leaders, and calls by French and Dutch

Eurosceptic leaders Marine Le Pen and Geerd Wilders for similar

referendums in their countries.

"Brexit wins, the markets fall" is Le Monde's overall live-page

headline

Image copyright La Depeche

Image caption France's Depeche: "What Europe will we have tomorrow?"

One of the many online commentariesby Le Monde writers pins theBrexit victory firmly on the "focus on immigration", and fears that this

could "exacerbate the divisions in a country already marked by a

widening wealth gap".

The live page of Le Figarois headlined "the result is irreversible",

and a commentary sums up the recent decades of the UK-EU

relationship in the words of the Serge Gainsbourg song - "je t'aime...

moi non plus" ("I love you... me neither").

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Image copyright Le Figaro

Image caption Le Figaro: The "I love you... me neither" of Britain towards

Europe

The paper's special correspondent in Scotland,Adrien Jaulmes, is

one of many European reporters to suggest that "Scotland could

soon decide to choose between two unions that have becomeincompatible" and opt for another independence referendum.

Liberation's front pagedeclares that "Europe will never be the same

again".

Its commentary sees a "divided United Kingdom beginning the rest

of its history, and this will be made outside the European Union".

As for the future of Europe itself, the paper hosts a debatebetween

French liberal MEP Sylvie Goulard and former European Greens

leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit on the need for a "new frontier".

'Lit tle England beats Great Britain'

Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitungis gloomy about the

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impact on Europe, which it says "may be plunged into the worse

crisis in its history".

Dubbing the Brexit win a "victory for mistrust", the paper saysthe

EU must now accept that the "process of deepening integration isreversible, and may try to make the separation process so difficult

that no other country will try it".

Image copyright Berliner Zeitung

Image caption "What now for Europe?"

Der Tagesspiegelsays a "chain reaction" of countries wanting to

leave the EU might follow as a "worst-case scenario", but does not

doubt the "serious consequences of Brexit for Europe".

The Italian papers focus on market turmoil and speculation about

the future of Prime Minister David Cameron.

La Stampalooks at "24 hours in which the world has changed", and

highlights concerns of expatriates in Britain and abroad who fear

they may have to return to their respective home countries.

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Il Corriere della Sera's Aldo Cazzullo regrets the departure of Britain,

which he dubs the "software" of the West, the source of the ideas,

music, legends, characters, and the culture that gives flavour to our

lives".

Image copyright Corriere della Sera

Image caption "Challenge at the last vote"

The paper's London correspondent, Beppe Servergnini, concludes

that "Little England beats Great Britain".

Spanish papers also think the EU must take seriously warnings of

discontent with its institutions.

El Paissays the referendum "requires reconstruction of the EU", as

the "London alarm signal" highlights the "accumulation of threats to

the Union".

La Razonagrees that the referendum "obliges Brussels to redefine a

common project that is now in crisis".

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'Brexit epidemic'

Central and south-eastern EU members also worry that the vote will

encourage populists who want to undermine the EU.

The Czech media, perhaps conscious of the break-up of

Czechoslovakia, pay considerable attention to suggestions that

Scotland and Northern Ireland might want to leave the United

Kingdom. Czech state TVand private Nova TVboth report on this.

The Romanian TV channel Digi24predicts that Brexit has "opened

Pandora's Box" by fuelling the "arguments of nationalists who want a

domino effect" of moves across the continent to leave the EU.

Evenimentul Zileialso fears a "Brexit epidemic!", and declares that

the "EU is falling apart" as nationalists in the Netherlands, France

and Italy seek referendums.

Image copyright Gazeta Wyborcza

Image caption "Union - plus or minus Britain"

Hungary's opposition Nepszabadsagsays Hungary "will lose on

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account of Brexit", especially in terms of funding for poorer

countries.

Albert Gazda writes in Magyar Nemzetthat "Not even Prime Minister

Viktor Orban could save Britain!", in a reference to the Hungarianleader's advert in British newspaper appealing to voters to vote to

remain.

Croatia's Jutarnjidaily also asks whether "other countries will leave

the EU?", reporting that "Eurosceptics are ecstatic", in particular, it

claims, Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

'Profound and long-lasting impact'

The reverberations of the Brexit vote are felt far beyond Europe.

Image copyright NY Times

Image caption Questions about Britain's new path "could remain

unresolved for years", says the New York Times

In the New York Times, London correspondent Steven Erlanger

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suspects the result has left many Britons in a state of existential

anxiety.

"Will Britain be the outward-looking, entrepreneurial, confident

country that makes its independent way in the world, as the leadersof the 'Leave' campaign insisted it could be? Or will it retreat to

become a Little England, nationalist and a touch xenophobic,

responding to the voters that drove it to quit the European Union?"

he asks, adding that "with Scotland deeply pro-Europe, pressure will

increase for another independence referendum that could bring an

end to the United Kingdom.

"Britain, a nation whose storied history has encompassed the birth of

constitutional government, global empire, royal pageantry and

heroic defense against fascism, is entering unknown territory," he

says, predicting adding that "the questions about its new path could

remain unresolved for years.

"The impact of this plebiscite is likely to be profound and

long-lasting, well beyond the immediate tumult in the financial

markets, and the questions about Britain's future will be answered

against the backdrop of potential political, legal and economic

upheaval," he concludes.

'Goodbye to Europe'

Russia's Kommersant FM radioreports the result as "leading to a

collapse on global currency markets and dealing the biggest blow to

a united Europe since the Second World War".

In Ukraine, political analyst Ruslan Bortnik tells the Segodnyadaily

that the vote will strengthen Eurosceptics and weaken European

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integration, meaning that "plans for Ukraine's integration into the EU

will be postponed or even become impossible".

Komsomolskaya Pravda v Ukraineagrees that the "literally historic"

vote means the "chances are that the EU will start falling apart.Eurosceptics are not wasting any time."

The Turkish media have responded with alarm to the referendum

result.

CNN Turk hosted a studio discussion in which the consensus was

that the Brexit vote was "shocking for the EU", and that the "divorce

period will be very painful". The guests also flagged up "separatist

winds" in Scotland.

Among newspaper websites, Hurriyetsays "Europe is in shock",

while Yeni Safaksays Britain bids "Goodbye to Europe".

Milliyetis concerned that France and the Netherlands may now face

their own referendums, while pro-governmentAksamsays Britain's

departure does not help Turkey's chances of joining the EU, a

"dream that did not come true".

'Emboldening Russia'

Australian commentators are generally less apocalyptic in their

assessments.

The Agesays the "protracted political and legal mess" of leaving the

EU will lead to "no instant change", and James Chessell writes in

theAustralian Financial Review that"Brexit won't be as bad as

people think - it will hurt the EU more than it hurts the UK".

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The Sydney Morning Herald's security correspondent David Wroe is

more concerned that a distracted Britain will lose its "usually reliable

role as a security player for years to come, emboldening Russia and

possibly diminishing Washington's 'pivot' to Asia, with

consequences for Australia's region".

Image copyright The Sydney Morning Herald

Image caption The Sydney Morning Herald

Business editor Michael Pascoeis blunter, telling the Herald's

readers that Britain is of "minor importance to Australia, worth only a

couple of percentage points of our exports".

But he regrets the "shrinking vision, the reduced hearts and minds

of what was once a rather grand outward-looking nation".

Indian news portals, amid reporting the latest developments from

what The Hinducalls "The Divided Kingdom", also reflect on the

possible impact for their own country.

Live Hindustanportal highlights "five possible problems" Brexit

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poses for India, above all a falling rupee-dollar rate that would make

oil imports more expensive.

Image copyright Kompas

Image caption Indonesia's Kompas

Turmoil on Far Eastern markets is the main point that Japanese,South Korean and Chinese news portals are taking away from the

Brexit story, although there is also interest in the future of the EU.

The front page of Shanghai's Xinmin Evening Newsproclaims

"Goodbye EU", saying Brexit is a "huge blow to Europe".

Japan's Mainichi Shimbunalso reports a "blow to European unity".

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Image copyright Tokyo Shimbun

Image caption Tokyo Shimbun: "UK leaves EU"

'Domino effect'

Arab newspapers largely agree that the referendum will change

Europe and possibly trigger more moves towards separation.

The headline in Lebanon'sAl-Nahardaily declares that "Europe will

not be the same", but there is more uncertainty about its impact on

Arab countries.

The Saudi daily Okazsays it could give the Gulf Cooperation

Council more investment opportunities in Britain, "which has

considered the Gulf an influential economic and trade centre since

the old days", but Kuwait'sAl-Raidoubts that Brexit "will have any

effect" as "it is none of our business".

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Image copyright Okaz

Image caption Saudi Okaz: More investment for the Gulf?

Anshel Pfeffer wrote in Israel's Haaretzthat Brexit will "send shock

waves that will be felt from London, through Brussels and the rest of

the EU capitals to the whole world", and he also expects more calls

for referendums in other EU states.

'Eating itself alive'

African newspapers report the story prominently, and South Africa's

media fear the impact of Brexit on their own economy.

International trade analyst Raymond Parsons tells the Rand Daily

Mailthe vote will probably weaken the rand and "shave about 0.1%

off South Africa's GDP".

Justice Malalafears that Britain is "eating itself alive", with "profoundinternational consequences".

He tells the Rand Daily Mail that an EU without the UK "might tip the

world back to the fascistic, mean, dangerous political waters of the

1930s. We will feel the effects through trade, diplomacy and other

ways here in South Africa".

Brazilian and Argentine newspapers lead on the story, paying

particular attention to UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

His portrait heads the Argentine Clarin's story, which notes that

voters "braved the weather with stoicism" to produce a high turnout.

The Brazilian daily Folha de Sao Pauloalso features a photo of Mr

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Farage, but focuses on "panic on Asian markets".

Image copyright Folha de Sao Paulo

Image caption Brazil's Folha de Sao Paulo worries about "panic on Asian

markets"

BBC Monitoringreports and analyses news from TV, radio, web

and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring

on Twitterand Facebook.

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