The Brexit referendum in the European media

This chapter investigates national media discourses surrounding the 2016 UK European Union referendum across several continental countries. Drawing upon a comparative international study, the analysis explores how the referendum was ‘domesticated’ by national media, transforming a British political event into a pan-European ‘proxy war’. The study reveals a divide in framing: while mainstream media generally portrayed Brexit as an irrational, populist threat to enlightened progress, fringe media on both the far-right and far-left hailed it as a legitimate democratic rebellion against an elitist ‘superstate’.

By examining the political contexts of France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain, the chapter demonstrates that the Brexit debate served as a mirror for each nation’s internal divisions. These narratives highlight a deep-seated clash over national sovereignty, migration, the legitimacy of referendums, and the EU's ‘democratic deficit’. Ultimately, the media's portrayal transformed a national crisis into a pivotal pan-European moment.