As the United Kingdom formally begins the two-year process of leaving the European Union on Wednesday, what are newspapers elsewhere in Europe saying about Brexit?
While Brexit will impact on British citizens, it will also affect residents of the other 27 EU members — not least some 3.2 million EU nationals currently living in Britain.
In Germany, the economic powerhouse of the European Union, newspaper Die Welt shows May waving from a paper boat made from the red, white and blue Union flag as the sun appears to set over the sea. “Farewell,” the headline reads.
The front page of the Berliner Zeitung features an image of a tattered UK flag set against the EU flag and a “Letter to London,” which starts “Dear Theresa May!” It continues, “Great Britain is going to announce Brexit today. However not all is lost yet.”
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung talks about a “painful divorce.” Its copy reads: “No one knows what exactly this means and what will happen in the coming two years. However one thing is sure: it won’t be a walk in the park. As is common when divorces are announced, it is all about money. Some Brits are concerned that Brussels could hurl back Margaret Thatcher’s sentence, ‘I want my money back.'”
Les Echos, a center-right business-focused newspaper, has the headline “Brexit: Day One.” On Twitter, it highlights “four traps” facing those negotiating the terms of Brexit over the months to come.
Le Figaro’s front page features a picture of Theresa May leaving 10 Downing Street with the caption “29 March 2017: The day where the United Kingdom bid farewell to Europe.”
The front cover of left-wing French newspaper Libération bears the headline “Brexit: We miss you already” across the black bearskin cap traditionally worn by the soldiers who guard Buckingham Palace. It continues, “Or not… ” saying that the newspaper has imagined two scenarios, one negative and one positive, for Britain’s future.
The front page of Belgian newspaper L’Echo declares: “Britain cuts itself off from the Union to dive into the unknown.” Its graphic shows the iconic Elizabeth Tower, which houses the Big Ben bell, being unplugged from a socket emblazoned with the EU’s yellow stars on a blue background.
Belgium’s La Libre has the headline “Brexit: The cost of the divorce” and promises 12 pages of special coverage, while Le Soir shows the British Prime Minister signing the letter to be delivered to Brussels triggering Brexit with the headline “Theresa May signs the end of the Europe of 28.”
In Italy, La Stampa is headlined “Brexit, the day of the divorce.”
The front pages of Italian papers La Repubblica and Il Messagero highlight the possibility that Brexit will bring about Scotland’s exit from the United Kingdom.