June 2016: Brexit and the Emergence of Discontent
Implications of newly found political and economic aversion
The results of the recent referendum on whether the UK wished to withdraw from the European Union (EU)—Brexit—sent world public opinion on a tail spin as the Leave option unexpectedly won by a margin of 52% to 48%. The following morning, David Cameron’s—the UK’s prime minister and the number one advocate to Remain in the EU—resigned and this further fueled speculations regarding the future of one of the world’s most influential nations. Since then, not only is everyone trying to make sense of the, until very recently, unthinkable but has also taken situational analysis to the next level. That long forgotten “what-if” scenario is now a palpable reality. Going forward, several developments must take place for Brexit to materialize as a permanent fixture of the UK’s relationship with the EU—and the rest of the world. None of them are straight forward but in the end, there will be lessons for everyone, including us in Puerto Rico.