The UK must respect the wish of a majority of its citizens, entirely, fully and as soon as possible, by officially withdrawing from the EU before any new relationship arrangements can be made, says the European Parliament in a resolution voted after an extraordinary plenary debate on Tuesday.

MEPs also stressed the urgent need for reforms to ensure that the EU lives up to its citizens’ expectations.

After a debate between Parliament’s political group leaders, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Dutch Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, representing the EU Council’s rotating presidency, Parliament voted a resolution on ways forward after the UK referendum on 23 June. The text was approved by 395 to 200, with 71 abstentions.

Maltese MEP Alfred Sant voted against the resolution at the European Parliament calling for the immediate triggering of Article 50 following the UK Referendum.

Alfred Sant said that a resolution at the European Parliament calling the UK to withdraw from the EU as soon as possible by triggering Article 50, will play into the hands of forces in Europe who will see in it multiple opportunities to call new referenda in other EU states.

Dr Sant said the UK, which remains a very important part of Europe, is in political turmoil and in no position to start negotiations on leaving the EU. Waiting till the situation stabilises there before the leave process takes off, will not affect the current state of uncertainty, and is in the fundamental interests of European, including British, working people.

Tabling an explanation of vote at the European Parliament, the Maltese MEP said he voted against the resolution submitted jointly by the EPP, the S&D, ALDE and the Greens because there is no legal or political basis to insist that Article 50 TEU be activated forthwith.

The European Parliament called upon the UK Government to respect its people’s democratic decision via a swift and coherent implementation of the withdrawal procedure, i.e. by activating Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union so as to allow withdrawal negotiations to start as soon as possible.

“To prevent damaging uncertainty for everyone and to protect the Union’s integrity, the UK Prime Minister should notify the outcome of the referendum to the European Council of 28-29 June, in order to launch the withdrawal procedure and negotiations as soon as possible,” urged MEPs.

MEPs recalled that the European Parliament’s consent for the withdrawal agreement and any future relationship is required under the Treaties, and that it must be fully involved at all stages of the various procedures.

Parliament also called on the Council to change the order of its Presidencies to prevent the withdrawal process from jeopardising the management of the day-to-day business of the Union. The UK was set to take on the presidency in the second half of 2017 following on from Malta. Parliament said that it will also change its internal organisation to reflect UK citizens’ will to withdraw from the EU.

The current challenges demand reform to make the Union “better and more democratic,” and to “deliver what citizens expect,” MEPs insisted “While some Member States may choose to integrate more slowly or to a lesser extent, the core of the EU must be reinforced and à la carte solutions should be avoided.”

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