The UK voted to leave the European Union, known as Brexit, in a June 2016 referendum. Brexit will be unprecedented and complex, as there is no established process for a country to exit the EU. The UK will likely remain subject to EU regulations and budget requirements during a lengthy negotiation process to formalize the separation, potentially taking years. Near-term effects of Brexit may include declines in UK and European stock markets, a weaker British pound and euro, and strengthening of safe-haven assets like the US dollar. Longer-term questions remain about whether Brexit marks a turn toward nationalism in both Europe and North America.