The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union on Thursday, pushing England into a new era of international relations. Some voters in London, however, are hesitant to support the move. One citizen even started a viral petition to declare London an independent country in order to rejoin the European Union.
“Fed up” with the Brexit results, Londoner James O’Malley started a Change.org petition requesting Mayor Sadiq Khan to declare London independent from the United Kingdom so that it could join the European Union on its own.
In the petition, O’Malley referred to London as an “international city” which should “remain at the heart of Europe.”
O’Malley compared London’s relationship with the rest of England as a failed marriage, stating London should “make the divorce official and move in with our friends on the continent.”
The petition also attempts to curt Khan, asking, “Mayor Sadiq, wouldn't you prefer to be President Sadiq? Make it happen!”
Considering the total population of London is 8.6 million, O’Malley has a long way to go from the petition’s 55,423 signatures (as of 12:03 a.m. on Friday) to reach a majority. However, success of the petition is not inconceivable, considering 59.9 percent of Londoners voted to “remain” in the European Union, compared to 40.1 percent of Londoners who voted to “leave.”