A majority of people in Europe’s biggest countries would back the UK rejoining the EU – but only if it ditched the pound in favour of the euro, and joined the Schengen Area which guarantees free movement between member states.
A new YouGov EuroTrack survey shows a clear appetite for Britain’s return among key European allies, with majorities in France (63%), Germany (61%), Italy (53%) and Spain (51%) saying the UK should be allowed back in. However, there’s a major sticking point: most don’t want Britain to come back on the same terms it enjoyed before Brexit. A YouGov spokesman said: “Our largest neighbours say that, if we want to rejoin the fold, the UK should have to participate in all major EU policy areas (58-62%). Only around one in five (19-22%) say the UK should be allowed to come back as if it had never left.”
In the 2016 referendum, 52% voted to leave the EU, triggering years of political chaos, leadership changes and division over the shape of Britain’s future relationship with the bloc.
Although recent UK polls show that support for rejoining the EU has grown – with 54% backing a return in principle – enthusiasm sharply declines if it means ditching previous opt-outs.
A majority of people in both the UK (55%) and key EU countries support the UK rejoining the EU, with backing highest in Denmark (72%) and Germany (63%).
However, support drops sharply if the UK were to return on its previous terms—such as keeping the pound instead of adopting the euro, and staying out of the Schengen passport-free travel zone—with only 36% of Britons and similar or lower levels of support across France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
If rejoining required the UK to adopt all EU rules, including joining the euro and Schengen, support in Britain remains at 36%, while it also dips significantly across much of Europe.
The YouGov spokesman added: “We therefore meet a public opinion impasse.”
Before Brexit, the UK held unique privileges, including the right to opt out of the euro and avoid joining the passport-free Schengen zone.
Danes proved an exception in the new survey, with 43% supporting a return on those original terms – possibly due to Denmark itself holding opt-outs from several major EU policy areas.
The YouGov poll also revealed stark political divides within the UK. Among Remain voters, 59% would still back rejoining without opt-outs, while the figure falls to 10% among Leave voters.
Support among Labour and Liberal Democrat voters drops dramatically once opt-outs are off the table, while backing from Conservative and Reform UK voters all but collapses.
The survey polled 2,029 British adults and over 6,000 respondents across France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Denmark between June 12 and 27.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he is keen to reset relations with Brussels – but has also said Britain will not be rejoining the bloc.