With Britain voting for an exit from the European Union on the issues of immigration and trade, similar fears could propel other countries in the 28-nation bloc to seek their own exit routes soon.
The most immediate fallout of the referendum has been a fall in markets worldwide and a depreciation of the British pound to its lowest in 31 years. The effect of Brexit, however, is not limited to the financial sphere. Other nations that are sceptical of the EU might also sound the horn for an exit now that Britain has shown a consensus on leaving.
Here is how some other European countries feel about leaving the Union:
The Netherlands
"Hurrah for the British! Now it is our turn. Time for a Dutch referendum! #ByeByeEU," tweeted Geert Wilders, the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, on Friday.
On his blog, he added that the "Europhile elite has been defeated."
"We want be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy. If I become prime minister, there will be a referendum in the Netherlands on leaving the European Union as well. Let the Dutch people decide," he added.
David Cameron had promised a referendum in 2013 during the prime ministerial campaign much like Wilders is doing now. Wilders had urged the U.K. to exit as he believes that the EU is finished. He too propagates closing off doors to migrants, unlike Germany.
The Dutch general elections are to be held on March 15, 2017 and Wilders is leading the popularity charts.
Greece
Brexit can force the EU to push out debt-ridden Greece from the bloc, according to the Washington Post. Since it is a part of the EU, Greece's massive debt is shared and it receives hefty bailout money. However, Brexit will reduce EU funds, affect trade and tourism in Greece, shaving off at least 0.5 percent of its gross domestic product.
"In many ways, Greece depends on greater burden sharing in a closer-integrated eurozone. But this would likely remain off the cards after Brexit," Wolfango Piccoli, research director of political risk consulting company Teneo Intelligence, was quoted as saying by Greek newspaper Kathimerini.
France
""Like a lot of French people, I'm very happy that the British people held on and made the right choice. What we thought was impossible yesterday has now become possible," Marine LePen, the leader of the right-wing party National Front, was quoted as saying by the Guardian on Friday.
Calling Brexit a "victory" she said that it was now time for France and other EU members to quit the coalition.
The pro-Brexit National Front under the leadership of LePen has been growing in popularity. It rides on the anti-immigration wave, calls for which have increased since two massive terrorist attacks took place in Paris in 2015. The country also suffers from a weak economy and terrorism threat despite being one of the superpowers of the world. The problems faced by France have been partly blamed on the EU or other member nations.
If LePen comes to power, a referendum on France's exit from the EU could become a possibility as at least 61 percent people are sceptical of the EU, according to the Pew Research Centre.
The special case of Scotland
Scotland voted for the Remain option in large numbers on Thursday. However, it being a part of the U.K. would also have to quit the EU. The nation had indicated that it would opt for an independence referendum and become a part of the EU if Brexit happens. That possibility looms larger than ever now.
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was quoted as saying by Financial Times that Scotland "sees its future as part of the EU" on Friday after the Brexit results.
