After nearly three years (and almost as many Prime Ministers), the United Kingdom has officially exited the European Union after 47 years of membership in the world's largest political and economic club.
The departure was made official at midnight in Brussels, where the EU is headquartered, to the cheers of thousands of British citizens who had gathered outside Britain's Parliament. A large countdown clock was projected onto 10 Downing St. where British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the long-awaited moment was "real national renewal and change."
"Our job as the government — my job — is to bring this country together and take us forward," said Johnson, the leader of the Conservative Party.
"This is the dawn of a new era in which we no longer accept that your life chances — your family's life chances — should depend on which part of the country you grow up in," he added
The U.K.'s exit will be phased in over the next 11-months during a "transition period" negotiated between UK and EU leaders. The UK will be required to follow the EU's rules as they negotiate new agreements on trade, security and other areas of concern. Johnson has stated he wants a 'bespoke' agreement with the member nations that will help satisfy promises he made to voters during his campaign in December.
The news was not greeted with fanfare by leaders of other countries in the 27-member bloc. French President Emmanuel Macron said the U.K.'s exit is a "historic alarm signal."
“It’s a sad day, let’s not hide it,” he said in a televised address. "But it is a day that must also lead us to do things differently."
The European Union was formed from the ashes of World War II, in the hopes closer economic ties would avoid major conflicts like the war. Twenty-seven nations make up the largest economic and political block in the world, representing an estimated 447 million people. The EU developed an internal single market with a standardized system of laws that applies throughout the member nations. The agreement allows people, goods and services to move freely between the member nations and give them a stronger position to negotiate in international markets.
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