So that happened.

[schneefink]

I'm so angry about the result of the UK's EU referendum. Also a bit scared, but mostly angry at how easy it apparently is to make a majority of voters vote based on nationalist propaganda and nebulous promises and racist anti-immigrant agitation. Austria's presidential election: probably more luck than anything else (and we still haven't found out if it'll have to be repeated because of fricking formalities.) I'm angry that British young people, most of who voted to remain, now have to live in a country whose fate was decided by the fear of old people, who won't experience many of the negative consequences for e.g. the job market and - this sounds shallow, but many of them will die soon. Of course old people have as much of a right to vote as anyone, but it just seems so incredibly selfish. Of course not all old people are like that, blah blah, but I'm still angry. And I'm just waiting for a more detailed voter breakdown to have more groups to be angry at. (White people probably. I'm curious about the gender breakdown.)
Eh, better angry than worried for now.

Hey, silver lining, I could probably take a very cheap vacation in the UK this summer...

Comments

[dolorosa_12]

I hope for Austria's sake that if you do have to go through presidential elections you don't have the same horrifying outcome as here.

I'm devastated. My (German) partner and I were just beginning to build a life here, and now we're potentially going to be uprooted.

In a sick joke, the British passport I applied for - that I'd been dreaming of receiving - arrived through the door at exactly the same moment as that scum, Nigel Farage, was crowing about 'independence day' on TV.

'European Union', says the passport on its front cover. Not for much longer. :(

[schneefink]

What cruel timing.
Fingers crossed that you and your partner won't lose your home and jobs. The uncertainty must be terrible.
Sending you virtual hugs and cake.

I don't think the Austrian presidential election will have to be repeated (and even if, it's by far not as consequential as the EU referendum.) But then I also thought the UK wouldn't actually vote Leave, so what do I know. Fortunately in my case it didn't make any difference. Apparently some people voted Leave because they thought it would never happen, and that's just so infuriating I don't have words.

[amnisias]

All parties have given reassurance that if the UK leave the EU all people who legally entered the UK will be allowed to stay, the new rules will only be applied going forward. Obviously this is not written in stone, but personally I do not worry about getting kicked out. Particullarly if you are 'skilled' and employed.

[dolorosa_12]

Yes, my partner has permanent residence, so it's not likely that he'll be kicked out. However, we both work as support staff at a university, in a university town where that is the main employer for everyone. As you can imagine, the potential loss of EU funding is likely to have a significant effect on employment prospects here in the future.

Secondly, my partner was on track to apply for British citizenship early next year. (He was not able to do so before as my visa was dependent on him holding only non-British EU citizenship for various complicated bureaucratic reasons.) Germany only allows dual citizenship with other EU countries. This means that if Britain leaves the EU, he may no longer be able to hold both citizenships. This means he will have to make a choice between giving up the citizenship he was born with, or living here in the long term but with no prospect of ever voting in a general election.

So even if you're right and he is able to stay, we're looking at a much less secure and certain future here than we were on Thursday morning.

[(Anonymous)]

It's a lot of uncertainty, for sure - the biggest stumbling block probaly will be university funding, if he'd dependant on a uni job.

I'm German, too, and have been in the UK for 20 years. I've never applied for UK passport because I want to keep my German citizenship, and (at leat up until now). There's no disadvantage to this other than not being able to vote in national elections, but with the 'fist past the post' system it doesnt' really matter much, I'm living in the a district that reliably votes as I would. Until the referendum, it is, :)

But if your partner keeps things on trach there's a good chance he will still get his passport before the UK actually leaves the EU and the laws change.

PS - Sorry, schneefink, just realizing that we've highjacked your thread. *blush*

[dhampyresa]

Congrats on the passport. *hugs* for all the rest.

[dolorosa_12]

Thank you.