BRUSSELS: The UK's vote to leave the EU has sparked demands from far-right parties for referendums in other member states.
France's National Front leader Marine Le Pen said the French must now also have the right to choose.
Dutch anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders said the Netherlands deserved a “Nexit” vote while Italy's Northern League said: “Now it's our turn”.
The UK on Thursday voted by 52% to 48% to leave the European Union after 43 years, in a historic referendum.
Analysts say EU politicians will fear a domino effect that could threaten the whole organisation.
Le Pen hailed the UK vote, placing a union jack flag on her Twitter page and tweeting: “Victory for freedom. As I've been saying for years, we must now have the same referendum in France and other EU countries.”
She is the front-runner among candidates for the presidential election in 2017 but opinion polls suggest she would lose a run-off vote.
Across Europe leading Eurosceptic politicians queued up this morning to crow about the UK referendum result.
Geert Wilders, leader of the Party for Freedom in the Netherlands, said in a statement: “We want to be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy.
“As quickly as possible the Dutch need to get the opportunity to have their say about Dutch membership of the European Union.”
A recent Dutch survey suggested 54% of the people in the Netherlands want a referendum.
Mateo Salvini, the leader of Italy's anti-immigration Northern League, tweeted: “Hurrah for the courage of free citizens! Heart, brain and pride defeated lies, threats and blackmail.
“THANK YOU UK, now it's our turn.”
Reacting to the vote, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said “the EU is dying”.
But Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, said this was “not a moment for hysterical reactions”. - BBC
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