REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Britain's decision to leave the European Union (EU), reflected in the Brexit (British Exit) referendum results on July 23, will increase the tendency of protectionism in Europe where nationalist sentiments of British and European regionalism abound.

"The exit may mean people wanting to be more nationalistic (for Britain), but protectionism, too, is definitely increasing among them (EU countries)," Kalla stated here on Friday.

Currently, as a member of the EU, Britain enjoyed free trade with 27 other EU countries without worrying about tariffs, taxes and other trade rules.

Vice President Kalla stressed that for six decades since the founding of the EU, all member states enjoyed a free and open economy amongst themselves, but with the Brexit, the EU will become protective about British exports and vice versa.

"England will face problems in selling if rules are imposed, and European goods will not be free to enter the UK as it will be protected," he argued.

Furthermore, the vice president added, Brexit can also shake the confidence of foreign investors investing in the UK.

Xinhua news agency reported from London that the British people who wanted that their country should "Exit" from the EU, won the Brexit (British exit from the EU) referendum with 52 percent voting in vaour of the exit. Seventy-two percent of the people voted.

More than 17 million people voted in favor of Britain revoking its membership of the EU, while 16 million others chose to side with the argument that the country must remain a part of the EU.

Following this referendum, Britain will have to bow out of the EU 43 years after it joined the group.

Britain has become the first country to leave in the 60 year long history of the European group.

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