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EU countries where politicians seek a vote on leaving bloc
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President of the French far right Front National, Marine Le Pen (center) poses with other members of the EU far right after a media conference at the European Parliament in Brussels, June 16, 2015. (AP/Virginia Mayo)
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fter the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, politicians in some other EU countries have renewed calls for their own ballots on EU membership. Here's a look at efforts by some political parties to put the EU's future to a vote:
FRANCE
Far-right National Front leader Marin Le Pen welcomed the British result and vowed to give French voters their own say. She will need to win next May's presidential election to do that, however. Current President Francois Hollande told her he won't call a referendum, she says.
THE NETHERLANDS
The Euroskeptic and anti-Islam Dutch Freedom Party wants a referendum on the country's EU membership and is riding high in polls ahead of a general election next year. Euroskepticism is strong among the Dutch but the country's ruling parties, while critical of some aspects of the bloc, support EU membership and are unlikely to heed Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders' call for a referendum. Even if he wins the election, Wilders could also struggle to form a ruling coalition.
SWEDEN
The nationalist Sweden Democrats celebrated the British EU referendum result and repeated their call for a similar referendum in Sweden. No other political party has called for such a vote, however. In Sweden, referendums are generally consultative, and lawmakers are the ones who decide whether to hold such a ballot.
DENMARK
The leader of the anti-immigrant Danish People's Party, Kristian Thulesen Dahl, says Denmark should wait and see what kind of exit deal Britain gets from the EU and then hold its own referendum. Danish governments, with the approval of Parliament, call referendums.
