Brexit - Europe reacts

Austria’s Chancellor Christian Kern said the outcome of the British referendum said “this is a bad day for Great Britain, a bad day for Europe and also a bad day for our country.” He believed the economic impact “will be felt for some time” and called for reform in Europe.

Austria’s Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said “not a stone is left standing, that is a political earthquake.” He called for the change to be swift.

The head of Austria's far-right and EU-sceptic Freedom Party Heinz-Christian Strache congratulated Britain.

“We congratulate the British for regaining their sovereignty. The result of their referendum yesterday is paving the way for democracy and against the political status quo, but also against the continuing migration madness,” he said.

Some 25,000 Austrians live in the UK while about 9,000 Brits reside in Austria.

In Denmark the outcome was welcomed by the country’s eurosceptic parties, the Danish People’s Party and the Red-Green Alliance, saying it is a major victory for the British people and good for democracy.

They said there should be a similar referendum in Denmark.

Danish Prime Minister Rasmussen said “we have the relation to the EU that we have. It is built upon the Danish opt-outs. I don’t anticipate a situation in the near future in which we stage a showdown over them.”

Denmark joined the EU in 1973 but voted to reject the euro in 2000.

French President Hollande said the result will be a grave test for Europe, which must show solidarity and strength in its response to the economic and financial risks. Calling the UK a “great ally”, he said France will continue to work with Britain.

He went on to recognise that Europe’s functioning has inadequacies and that the people had lost trust in the project.

"It's more than the future of the United Kingdom that is at stake, it's the future of the European Union," he said.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen of the National Front hailed the British result and called for a referendum in France.

"Victory for Freedom! As I have been asking for years we must now have the same referendum in France and EU countries," she tweeted.

French public opinion was said to be divided. A poll of more than 10,000 people by Le Figaro newspaper found that 68% were satisfied with the result.

One tweet read: "They were a pain in the ass when they wanted in, now they're a pain in the ass going out: The English are the cats of Europe."

"The English are really a proud and stupid people. You'd think they were French," read another.

German Chancellor Merkel expressed “deep regret”. “Today is a cut into Europe and a cut into the project of European unity,” she said.

“The future of the EU depends on how well we prove ourselves to be willing and capable of making the right decisions and not estranging the UK.” She mentioned keeping “a close and fair relationship” with Britain after its departure.

She wrapped up her press conference stating her confidence that the EU is strong enough to survive the UK’s exit.

In Italy, PM Matteo Renzi compared the EU to a house which needs renovation.

Renzi said: "Europe is our house, the house of our children and our grandchildren. We know that the house needs to be renovated, perhaps freshened up, but that it will still be our house tomorrow."

Renzi said he would be in Berlin on Monday to discuss the implications of Brexit with his German and French counterparts, Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande.

Gibraltar’s Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said there would be no concession to pressure from Spain.

“There will be no talks, or even talks about talks, about the sovereignty of Gibraltar,” Picardo said in response to provocative remarks from Spain..

“The Spanish flag is much closer to the Rock,” said Spain’s acting foreign minister, José Manuel García-Margallo, on Friday morning as the news broke.

"Our formula... is British-Spanish co-sovereignty for a determined period of time, which after that time has elapsed, will head towards the restitution of Gibraltar to Spanish sovereignty," García-Margallo told Spanish radio.

The people of Gibraltar voted an overwhelming 96% in favour of remaining.

Britain’s Minister for Europe supported Picardo saying the UK will continue to stand beside Gibraltar.

“We will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against your wishes.”

In Spain, acting Prime Minister Rajoy tried to reassure the large component of British expats in Spain saying that they would have the same rights to live and work in Spain for now.

The EU treaties would remain in place during the exit negotiations during which time nothing will change for expats in Spain or for Spanish citizens in the UK.

"Their rights to move freely, to work, to pay social security contributions, to receive pensions, to invest, to vote or be elected in local elections will not be affected at all," he said.

"The same applies to the rights of British citizens who live or work in our country or in the rest of the EU."

Switzerland’s President Schneider-Ammann said "The British decision will contribute to strengthening doubts about Europe's economic perspectives. This will also have a negative impact on the Swiss economy."

He also expressed concern will hinder Switzerland’s own negotiations with the EU. The two still need to for a solution to a Swiss referendum in 2014 which decided to curb immigration from the EU.

The populist rightwing Swiss People's Party, which is staunchly anti-EU and anti-immigration, said that the Brexit vote proved the folly of trying to integrate with the bloc.

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