Ten Years Post-Brexit: Gen Z Demands a Rejoin Vote

A new More in Common poll reveals that young Britons overwhelmingly favor rejoining the European Union, as shifting demographics and generational turnover drastically alter the national consensus on Brexit.

The Shift in Public Sentiment

If the potential votes of those likely to participate in a referendum are counted, the pro-EU camp would secure 81 percent of the vote, while only 19 percent would choose to remain outside the bloc. A survey of 440 young people across the UK indicates that 50 percent of Gen Z view Brexit as a failure, compared to 16 percent who consider it a success.

Luke Tryl, executive director of More in Common, noted that Brexit was the first major political event that this generation clearly experienced and remembered. While they support rejoining, they remain wary of being trapped in the cycle of endless debate that defined their youth, preferring that attention be paid to the cost of living, housing, employment, and climate change.

Demographic Transformation and the Electorate

In the 2016 referendum, 51.9 percent of voters supported leaving the EU, with older generations providing the bulk of the pro-Brexit mandate. Since then, approximately 6 million voters from that era have passed away. Data shows that 15 percent of those who voted for Brexit have died, compared to 10 percent of those who voted to remain, significantly shrinking the pro-leave base.

Simultaneously, about 6 million young people who were ineligible to vote in 2016 have since entered the electorate. This generational exchange has led analysts to conclude that a new, active anti-Brexit majority has emerged, replacing the previous demographic balance.

Calls for a New Referendum

The survey highlights that 62 percent of young Britons believe a referendum on rejoining the EU should be held within the next five years. Opposition to a new vote is minimal, with only 11 percent of respondents under the age of 29 against the proposal.