Dutch withdrawal from the European Union
A hypothetical Dutch withdrawal from the European Union is also commonly referred to as a "Nexit", based on "Brexit", the common name for a British withdrawal from the EU.[1]
A poll by the Pew Research Center in June 2016, before the British referendum, found the Dutch to have a 46% negative view of the European Union, less than the 51% of their population found to have a positive view towards it.[2] Another poll, by peil.nl in the aftermath of the British vote, found 50% of the Dutch population to be against a similar referendum in their country (compared to 47% for) and 46% to favour remaining in the union (compared to 43% against).[1]
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte called the possibility of a referendum "utterly irresponsible".[1] The only party in the country which favours it is the far-right Party for Freedom; leader Geert Wilders made it a key issue in their manifesto for the 2017 general election with his party leading the polls.[1]
American billionaire investor George Soros, who opposed Britain's exit, has named France and the Netherlands as the next countries to leave the EU.[3] UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, a prominent supporter of Britain's exit, predicted the Netherlands to be the next to leave the European Union.[1]
See also
- Irexit
- Frexit, a similar hypothetical proposal in France
- Greek withdrawal from the eurozone
- Brexit, the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union
- Euroscepticism
References
- ^ a b c d e Lyons, Kate (27 June 2016). "Frexit, Nexit or Oexit? Who will be next to leave the EU". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ "Euroscepticism on rise in Europe, poll suggests". BBC News. 6 June 2016. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
- ^ Strydom, Martin (27 June 2016). "Get ready for Frexit and Nexit in damaged Europe, says Soros". The Times. Retrieved 28 June 2016.