File photo taken on June 21, 2016 shows British Prime Minister David Cameron delivering a speech at 10 Downing Street in London. British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation on Friday. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
The Leave camp won Britain's Brexit referendum on Friday morning by obtaining nearly 52 percent of ballots, pulling the country out of the 28-nation European Union (EU) after its 43-year membership.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had led the campaign to keep Britain in the EU, said shortly after the results that he would step down by October.
Britain has become the first country to quit in the EU's 60-year history.
EUROPE IN SHOCK, RESOLVE EXPRESSED
"Today is an incisive day for Europe," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a press conference in Berlin Friday on the outcome of the Brexit referendum.
It is "with great regret that Germany must now accept the decision of the majority of British population who wish to end membership of the United Kingdom in the EU," said Merkel. However, she warned of "quick and easy conclusions."
"The European Union is strong enough to give the right answers to the present day," she said.
Besides Merkel, leaders from across European capitals all expressed their dismay and surprise on Friday following the "sobering, unexpected" outcome of the Brexit referendum.
French President Francois Hollande said he "respects" the choice of the British. He admitted the Brexit vote signalled difficulties for the EU, especially for the euro.
"I will do everything for us to adopt profound changes rather than a retrogression," he stressed.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stressed the country's unchanged commitment to the path of European integration.
"If I have to pick a name for Europe, that name is 'home.' And home is not only a physical space, but a place built up on sentiments and emotions where to feel solid and safe," Renzi said.
In Athens, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called for imminent action to change course and rebuild a better EU.
"The decision of the British people is respected, but it confirms a deep political crisis, an identity crisis and a crisis in the European strategy," he said.
Speaking to Xinhua in Vienna, former Austrian Vice-Chancellor Erhard Busek said he doesn't see the British decision as a rational choice.
During a plenary session in Strasbourg, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Pedro Agramunt said: "A bit of the European ideal has disappeared today following the British vote in favor of leaving the Union."
Countries aspiring to join the EU, such as Albania and Macedonia, called Britain's vote "a sad decision for the EU."
Albanian Minister of Integration Klajda Gjosha said: "It is sad for Albanians who aspire to join the EU. Although, as long as the EU project is underway, the process of enlargement will and should continue."
Macedonian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Poposki said: "For Macedonia and for the Balkan as a whole it will mean losing a fierce supporter of the EU integration process."
Swiss President Johann Schneider-Ammann warned that Switzerland's economy stands to be affected by the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU, with political uncertainties likely to hamper Bern's ongoing negotiations with Brussels.
Though not an EU member state, Switzerland participates in the EU single market as a party to the European Free Trade Association.
SECOND SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM POSSIBLE
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Friday a second independence referendum was "highly likely" after Britain voted to leave the EU.
It was "democratically unacceptable" that Scotland faced the prospect of being taken out of the EU against its will, Sturgeon said at a press conference.
In Thursday's Brexit referendum, the Leave campaign received about 52 percent of the votes, against 48 percent for the Remain side. However, Scotland voted 62 percent in favor of remaining in the EU, with the majority in each council of its 32 local authority areas voting to remain.
The Brexit vote would lead to a "significant and material change" to Britain's constitution, and an option was now "on the table" since many people who voted against Scottish independence in 2014 would be reassessing their decision, said Sturgeon.
The Scottish government would begin preparing legislation to enable another independence vote, she added.
