The BBC has declared victory for the “Leave” camp in the UK’s referendum on the country's 43-year EU membership, with 52 percent of voters backing a so-called “Brexit.”

Workers begin counting ballots after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, June 23, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

So far, 381 out of the 382 local counting areas have declared their results. More than 17 million votes are for “Leave,” against the nearly 16 million for “Remain.”

The majority of voters in England and Wales voted to leave, while every council in Scotland saw remain majorities. There was a high turnout for Thursday’s historic referendum, standing at 72 percent.

Britain votes to leave EU

The European Parliament President Martin Schulz has reacted to the news, saying he expects negotiations over Britain’s departure from the EU to begin quickly.