The future of a young generation of the British has been determined by people over 60 years old, the director of international programmes at Gorshenin Institute, Dmytro Ostroushko, has said at a round table entitled "Brexit referendum: Prerequisites, results and consequences".
"It is noteworthy that in terms of age, the option to leave the EU was mostly supported by people of an older age whereas young people said they would like to remain in the union. Here is a demographic dilemma: people who are over 60 in fact have defined the future of a young generation that will have to face many new challenges and even crisis situations. They will bear an economic, social and political burden because of the choice they did not make," he said.
In his opinion, the referendum showed that the British found it essentially important to have their say on the country's future role in the EU, as evidenced by a very high turnout of 72 per cent. And the difference between the opposing camps was only 4 per cent. This means that even if the Leave option had been supported by a minority, it would still have attested to discontent with the rules of stay in the EU and the need to review and reformat its rules, both on the general European and national levels.
Politicians from both camps will have no other choice but to take the results of the referendum into account, the expert suggested.
"Today it should be said that Great Britain voted in different ways as far as the geographic, social and age parameters are concerned. That is why the issue of the secession of Scotland and Northern Ireland from the UK returns on the agenda," he added.