BERLIN • Germany should offer citizenship to young Britons living in Germany, given that it was largely older voters in England and Wales who voted for Brexit in last month's referendum, German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said.

Britain voted 52 per cent to 48 per cent on June 23 in favour of quitting the European Union, with the referendum splitting the country along several lines - old versus young, England and Wales versus Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"That's why we shouldn't just pull up the drawbridge," Mr Gabriel said at a European conference of his Social Democrat (SPD) party in Berlin on Saturday.

Mr Gabriel, who is also Vice-Chancellor, said the SPD had always been in favour of allowing people dual citizenship.

"Let's offer it to the young Brits who live in Germany, Italy or France so that they can remain EU citizens in this country," he said.

The opposition Greens party has also called for Germany to make it easy for Britons living in Germany to get a German passport.

REUTERS