Britons from the far Scottish isles to the tip of Gibraltar began casting their ballots Thursday in a historic referendum that could rock the global economy and deeply unsettle the Western political order.
After months of bitter campaigning that sharply divided the country over questions of immigration and identity, election day dawned with a cliffhanger: Final polls showed Britons almost exactly split over whether the country should exit the 28-member European Union.
Although “leave” had been leading the polls recently, “remain” has caught up since pro-E.U. member of Parliament Jo Cox was fatally shot and stabbed last week, jolting the country and prompting calls for an end to some of the campaign’s more hateful rhetoric.
The referendum marks an existential decision that could dramatically reshape Britain’s global role in a way not seen since London shed its empire after World War II.