Britain's Brexit decade reshapes EU public opinion

Ten years after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, analysts assess both economic and political consequences. Bloomberg Economics estimates that Brexit has reduced the UK’s output by as much as 4 % of its potential GDP, while the EU lost a strong free‑market voice and missed an opportunity to deepen its capital‑markets union.

A new Pew Research poll shows a marked rise in favorable views of the EU across the continent. Median support in eight surveyed countries increased from 49 % in 2016 to 62 % in 2026, with Germany up to 68 %, France 52 %, the Netherlands 63 % and the United Kingdom rising from 45 % during the referendum to 67 % today. The uplift followed the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and appears to counter earlier predictions that Brexit would trigger a wave of departures.

Despite growing overall approval, euro‑skeptic parties continue to gain electoral ground. Germany’s AfD rose from 12.6 % to 20.8 % in the federal election, France’s National Rally secured roughly a third of the first‑round vote, and the Dutch PVV became the leading party in 2023. These parties are shifting from outright exit demands to reform agendas, though some, like Germany’s AfD, still entertain full withdrawal scenarios.