article: Yet, for many people, the choice remains complex and confusing and the way they vote may well be settled by gut and instinct. The Leave camp promises to regain control over borders and democracy. The Remain camp says staying in the EU and the single market is clearly in Britain's economic interest. But there is much that remains unknowable, including what would follow a vote to leave the EU. In the immediate aftermath of a win for Brexit, some political battles would have to be resolved first. Would the prime minister stay in office having lost a referendum? Some would want him out but others in the Leave campaign regard David Cameron as best placed to lead what would be difficult negotiations with Brussels. Secondly, the early days after the vote would be aimed at settling nervous financial markets. On the day after, nothing would have changed legally but the government and whoever was in charge of the negotiation would have to decide what strategy to adopt. Vote Leave sets out post-Brexit plans After the EU referendum: What happens next? EU referendum issues guide EU referendum: All you need to know The legal process for leaving the EU is set out in Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty. David Cameron or whoever was prime minister would have to notify the European Union of the UK's intention to leave. Once that application has been registered, the clock starts ticking; the negotiation has to be settled in two years. But Michael Gove, for the Leave campaign, has suggested negotiating a new deal would take at least four years. The two-year period can be extended but only if all the other 27 EU countries agree. During the negotiating period, the UK would stay in the EU and EU laws would remain in force. If there was no deal within the two year period then the UK would have to rely on World Trade Organisation rules. The Director General of the WTO says this would be far from straightforward. There would have to be negotiations between the UK and the WTO's 161 members. Catherine Barnard, professor of European Law at Cambridge University, says that without an agreement in those two years "we fall out of the EU, in probably a rather disorderly fashion". She points to the sheer number of issues that would need addressing. "Think of European migrants living here," she says. "What will be their rights going forward?" But nothing here is straightforward. Some in the Leave camp want to avoid Article 50 altogether; they would prefer to engage in inter-governmental negotiations. They do not want to be locked into a timetable. It is also uncertain how other European leaders and officials would respond to this. Their big fear is contagion; that other countries could follow the UK example. So, they could be inclined to make the UK sweat. As the President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker said: "Deserters would not be treated kindly." However, there would be strong pressure from Europe's businesses to deal with the UK swiftly and perhaps enter into a
summary: This week's referendum has been billed as a historic moment; a cross on the paper sketching out the country's future identity and its place in the world.