The president of the European Commission has claimed 40 years of “lies” were responsible for Britons deciding to leave the EU.
Jean-Claude Juncker said the Brexit vote showed “something was wrong in Britain”, as well as with the European project.
He said it was not surprising a majority were in favour of quitting the EU after being told repeatedly the Brussels-based organisation was “stupid”.
Mr Juncker was speaking in a YouTube interview, in which he was presented with questions from Twitter users.
Asked why the Leave campaign triumphed, he replied: “This is a simple and easy question, asking for thousands of answers.
“Of course Brexit means that something is wrong in Europe. But Brexit means also that something was wrong in Britain.
“If, over 40 years, you are explaining to your general public that European Union is stupid, that
membership is not bringing any advantages to your populations, you can’t be surprised that people are expressing the view that it is better to leave.
“On Europe there are so many lies, so many half-truths which are circulated around, that one can not be surprised.
“But I am not giving to the British vote only that explanation. I do think there was a European message in this, too.”
Asked about Mr Juncker’s comments, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The language expressed by the president is a matter for him.”
The spokesman added: “Clearly, the country voted for Brexit for a number of reasons. Those were thrashed out during the referendum campaign.
“What is important now is that the Government goes forward… and goes about the business of getting the best possible deal for the British people.”
The YouTube interview came after Mr Juncker urged EU members to stick together following the Brexit vote and called on Britain to trigger Article 50 and begin departure negotiations.
He also criticised the rise in nationalism around Europe, citing the murder of a Polish factory worker in Essex as an example of the growing number of hate crimes.
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