Politics

Brexit: Germany reacts

We're still digesting the news of the Brexit vote. In fact, like so many Europeans, we're simply speechless. Here's what the German media and politicians had to say this morning.

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Andrew Barclay, Creative Commons license

Here at Exberliner we’re still digesting the news of the Brexit vote. In fact, like so many Europeans, we’re simply speechless. And so, we’ve collected the first reactions of the German media and politicians.

“There’s no way of talking around it: today is a blow to Europe, a blow to the unity of Europe.” – Chancellor Angela Merkel

A victory for mistrust” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

A black day for Europe!” – Bild Zeitung

Brexit gives Europe’s right wingers a boost” – Neues Deutschland

Europe needs a new promise. It was once: never again war. If we want to stop the right-wing revolution, the promise must now be: never again inequality! Back then it was against violence and hate. Today it must be directed against unemployment and poverty.” – Jakob Augstein, Spiegel Online

The nation that embodies common sense, the sense for the real and realities, decides to reject Europe. People who feel insecure about the present vote for an even less secure future….An earthquake has happened, and further earthquakes cannot be ruled out. Since today, June 24, 2016, post-war Europe is mired in the deepest crisis of its existence.” – Malte Lehming, Der Tagesspiegel

Damn! A bad day for Europe. A shrill wake-up call for European politics. Whoever ignores it or escapes into the usual rituals, will run Europe into a wall.” – Sigmar Gabriel, Economy minister, SPD

The Brussels corporate lobby-ocracy has lost the support of the people. Europe must change, or it will disintegrate.”- Sahra Wagenknecht, parlimentary leader, Die Linke

I cried for joy! June 23 is an historic day!” – Beatrix von Storch, deputy chair of the populist AfD

Fellow Germans! Nothing holding us back now – finally, we can use ze tunnel for what we secretly built it for: ze invasion of Great Britain!” – comedian Jan Böhmermann

Punishment for Brexit: EU banishes Britons to a bleak, rainy island in the North Atlantic.” – Der Postillon, German satire site