Huge turnaround, shame and disappointment: these are the signs British citizens of the European Union felt about how they felt about Brexit. This was the first large-scale survey among them on the profound impact their violations from the guild had on their lives.
Many respondents expressed strong concern about the loss of freedom of movement and the right to vote, as well as a very different view of Britain, He writes The Guardian.
There is a lack of freedom of movement
Michaela Benson, Professor of Sociology at Lancaster University, said: “The long-term impact of Brexit is clear in its continuing impact on people’s lives on the continent and in its enduring importance to their sense of identity and belonging.” Sociology.
Of those surveyed between December 2021 and January 2022, one year after the end of the Brexit transition period, 59 per cent have lived on the continent for at least five years, and most intend to stay there. At the same time, many are upset that they can no longer move freely within the EU or spend their retirement years in another EU country. The concern many expressed is how to return to Britain with non-British family members.
They also moved because of Britain’s exit from the European Union
When asked whether Brexit has affected past or future immigration plans, 27 percent of respondents said it was a great thing, and 14 percent said it was a lot. “As my wife is an EU citizen, I had to decide whether to move to that EU country or stay in the UK.
The family cannot return to Britain now.
“The mystery is great,” said a British national living in Belgium.
Another of them moved to France in 2020 to protect their right to live and work in France after Brexit. “One hundred percent of my departure is a result of Brexit,” he said.
The most negative indicators are used
The treatment of the Covid pandemic by Brexit and the British government had a strong impact on 80 per cent of respondents’ feelings about the UK, with responses including “deep shame”, “disappointment”, “placebo” and “shame to be” British “,” Chaos “and” Like watching a house burn”.
Just over 30 per cent of them are still very or very emotionally attached to the UK,
Compared to 75 percent of those whose members said they were very or very closely related to the EU and 59 percent felt the same way about their country of residence.
“One of the most interesting things the survey reveals is the sense of frustration, shame and agony over Brexit and the pandemic, and a really powerful expression of European identity,” Benson said.
Many are afraid of the future
Two-thirds of respondents have changed their legal status, residence permit or citizenship since 2016. However, nearly half do not have the same status and the same immigration and incorporation rights as some of their close family members. This worries many, who fear that it will affect their or their children’s work, careers and studies.
“My wife is a Russian citizen.
His right to life and work depends on my case
under the exit agreement. “He is afraid of a possible move to another EU country, because his right of residence depends entirely on my right,” said one respondent who lives in Italy. Those who are considering returning to the UK but have a non-British citizen in their family are also afraid of the future.
It also hurts losing the right to vote
“I have a house in England, and I wanted to retire there, but we’re selling it now. My wife is Dutch. I don’t think she would let me go back to the UK even though she owns the house,” said a British man who lived in the Netherlands for ten years “has lived there for 15 years and speaks English.” He is fluent and has two children, a dual national.
The loss of suffrage in the European Union was also a major concern: 46 percent said they could not run in European elections,
Or, in most cases, the local elections in the country of residence. Nearly 42 per cent in the UK were unable to vote either because they had lived abroad for more than 15 years.
Editorial photo: Richard Villalon / Getty Images
