Published on 6/22/2026
An opinion poll conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations showed that the majority of Britons now view negatively their country’s decision to leave the European Union, nearly a decade after the referendum that led to withdrawal in 2016, amid widespread belief that this step contributed to the rise in the cost of living and negatively affected the economy.
The poll – which was conducted between May 7 and 14 and included more than two thousand participants – revealed that about two-thirds of respondents believed that leaving the European Union had negative effects on the country, while 57% considered that the decision to withdraw was a “mistake.”
56% also believed that exit harmed efforts to address issues of illegal immigration, trade and bureaucracy, while 57% said it increased the social and economic difficulties faced by young people.
A better partner than America
The council quoted its president, Mark Leonard, as saying that the British have realized – over the past ten years – that hopes for a better life outside the European Union have not been fulfilled, adding that withdrawal has weakened the United Kingdom’s ability to deal with issues of concern to voters.
The poll indicated that three-quarters of participants support establishing closer relations with the European Union, while the British considered Europe a better security partner than the United States, as the percentage of those who described Washington as an ally did not exceed 18%.
Immigration is one of the most prominent issues raised during the campaign to leave the European Union, but 56% of participants believed that post-withdrawal policies did not succeed in achieving their goals, and they expressed their support for the return of freedom of movement with the EU countries to enhance trade relations.
In a related context, the Council said that a separate poll that included 15 member states of the European Union showed that about two-thirds of participants support Britain’s return to the European Union in the future.
