What Brexit has Revealed: Pride and Prejudice as Political Identity Traits

The Brexit victory in the referendum on June 23rd, 2016, in the United Kingdom surprised half of the British population and the world's public opinion, and it was described as an atypical and irrational political behavior. A thorough analysis of the historical context and how the teams for and against leaving the European Union presented their arguments to the voters shows the reasons for the result. This article reflects on them in two facets: 1) the background to the consultation: the way in which the relationship between the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe was constructed and how the British perceived their integration, in addition to the campaign strategies in favor of permanence and exit, and 2) how citizens saw in the consultation an opportunity to change political rules contrary to their interests. I also present their first impressions of the Brexit results.