Brussels, 24/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - Nigel Farage appealed to other European countries to follow the same path as that of the British people. Farage could barely contain his joy today, delight that had no difficulty in resonating among traditional and emerging Eurosceptics in France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
Speaking on Friday 24 June, Mr Farage asserted that the EU had failed and was in its death throes and that other member states such as Sweden and perhaps Austria and even Italy would also "leave" the Union. Mr Farage has given "both body and soul" to point the British people "in the right direction".
Although the "failure" of the EU is an observation sometimes shared beyond the narrow circle of "Eurosceptics", as demonstrated by reactions in Poland and France, where the main political forces (Polish PiS in power and the French Republicans, in opposition) are calling for a "new treaty", the idea of imitating the United Kingdom still remains restricted to nationalist political parties often perceived as being the most extreme. There have been relatively few of these across Europe that have called for further referendums since the United Kingdom announced its choice of leaving the EU a few hours ago.
The President of the Front national, Marine Le Pen MEP, was quick to express her delight with an event she described as "historic" because, according to her, it demonstrates that it is entirely "possible to leave the EU". If she is to be believed, the main challenge of the forthcoming presidential elections in France (23 April and 7 May 2017) in which she is presenting her candidacy will be about "Europe". She too is indeed intending to follow the path of the British Prime Minister by proposing to the French the, "same referendum" in the hope, of course, that others will take the same route. A similar view was expressed by the Freedom Party headed by Geert Wilders in the Netherlands where he also wants a referendum. The Northern League proposed something similar to the Italians but the country's Constitution prevents this. The party is therefore going to attempt, by way of a petition, to amend this. The 5-Star Movement (M5S) has been bolstered by its election victories in the most recent council elections in Rome and Turin and it would also like a referendum but it is expected to restrict its main warhorse to the question of the single currency.
The approach in Denmark is a little different. The leader of the extreme right, Kristian Thulesen Dahls, did raise the spectre of a referendum but would only like to organise one if a decision is taken in Brussels that went against the interests of the Danish people. In Germany, the calls for a similar line advocated by Ms le Pen and Mr Farage do not appear to have found any echo. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party had not prepared a coordinated response to Brexit but several of its members have not attempted to conceal their satisfaction whilst denouncing "the failure of Europe". (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)