In the wake of Brexit, populist parties across Europe have become further vitalized in their calls for breaking away from the European Union. The above map was created based on numerous opinion polls and the degree of political organization of the various anti-EU movements.
In France, National Front party leader Marine Le Pen has praised the Brexit vote and calls for a similar referendum on France’s EU membership. While this would require a change in the ruling coalition, there is a chance that the National Front may achieve success at the coming Parliamentary elections. According to a poll by the University of Edinburgh, 53 percent of the French would like a referendum on leaving the union. If such a referendum were held, less than 50 percent of respondents say they would vote to remain in the EU.
Many Dutch have been expressing similar sentiment. A February opinion poll found that 53 percent of Dutch citizens want a “Nexit” referendum. Both Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, and Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch right-wing, populist PVV party, have suggested that the Netherlands may be the next country to quit the EU. Wilders is currently topping opinion polls and pledged on Friday to make a referendum a key issue in his election campaign. However, no other Dutch political party supports a referendum.
In Italy, a poll conducted in May showed that 58 percent of Italians would look forward to a referendum on EU membership. Meanwhile, the Five Star Movement has officially called for a referendum on whether or not to leave the eurozone.