How Europe and the world reacted to Theresa May launching Brexit by triggering Article 50
Theresa May today handed over the historic document that formally begins the Brexit process
THERESA May's signing of Article 50 has been described by our cousins across the Atlantic as Britain "taking back control".
Today's triggering of the Brexit process featured in an opinion piece on the front page of the New York Times.
It also made page one on leading newspapers across Europe, which mostly reacted with a mixture of scepticism and uncertainty.
The , written by Alan Johnson, stated the "European Union's authoritarian project of neoliberal integration is a breeding ground for the far right".
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Stating the Leave vote was about "taking back control", he also described Brexit as an end to Brussels' "elite management, treaty law, and money-grabbing".
Corriere Della Sera, in Italy, stated that Brexit would not mean the end to freedom of movement.
Germany's Die Welt wrote: "Dear Brits, the door is still open".
And today Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, tweeted: "After nine months the UK has delivered #Brexit".
At a press conference he later said: "What we should stress today is that for now nothing has changed until the UK leaves. EU law will continue to apply.
"We will act as one and start negotiations focusing on an orderly withdrawal."
For Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the EU's executive Commission, Britain's departure was "a failure and a tragedy".
Germany's Foreign Ministry says Britain will remain a "close partner and friend" despite the decision to leave the European Union, but that "being a close friend is not the same as being part of the family."
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat of Malta, which holds the EU presidency, said that negotiations must be transparent and honest.
He said: "Negotiations should be fair for both sides, but it is imperative that EU membership emerges as the superior option. EU will not be 27 different opinions on Brexit but one common vision."
Denmark's prime minister says Britain's "goodbye" to the European Union is "incredibly sad," adding he expects "many bumps on the road."
But Lars Loekke Rasmussen said he hopes "the divorce" will take place in "an orderly fashion."
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