Brexit shows we should beware the populists

The people in Britain who voted to leave the EU have acted against their own interests, writes Dominique Moisi. Unfortunately, there may also be knock-on effects for the rest of us.

US PRESIDENT Franklin D Roosevelt once proclaimed that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”.

The United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum, in which just over half of those who voted chose to leave the European Union, proved that he was not exactly right. We must also fear the people, like Britain’s populist leaders, who prey on public fears to bring about truly terrifying outcomes. In this case, the outcome may well lead to the EU’s disintegration.