Europe divided on the way forward after Brexit vote

Berlin

EUROPEANS will have to struggle to drag the European Union out of the doldrums after Britain's vote on Thursday, with a public hostile to further integration while Berlin and Paris are at odds over the way forward.

Whatever the results of the British referendum on whether or not to quit the EU, heavyweights France and Germany - both founding members of the bloc - will find themselves under pressure to defend what's left of their vision for Europe.

They may be forced to only pursue issues such as security, as enthusiasm for the bloc has eroded due to a morose economic outlook and as populist rhetoric gains ground.

"Attempting to maintain the status quo and remaining immobile would amount to political suicide", as the UK vote could push other countries…