Germany worries France, others could follow UK in leaving EU-paper

BERLIN Germany is worried that France, the Netherlands, Austria, Finland and Hungary could also seek to leave the European Union after Britain’s vote to quit the bloc, German newspaper Die Welt said on Friday, citing a finance ministry strategy paper.

The strategy paper recommended that Germany, in coordination with the EU, offer Britain “constructive exit negotiations” aimed at making the UK an “associated partner country,” the newspaper reported.

It estimated Germany’s contribution to the annual EU budget could rise by 3 billion euros once Britain exited the group.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Andrew Heavens)