ON DECRYPT
Even if, legally speaking, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been forced to demand a postponement of Brexit in Brussels, the United Kingdom could still leave the European Union on 31 October.
Humiliated and weakened, Boris Johnson wants to get his hand back on the record as soon as possible. On Sunday, he sent his right arms to the television sets to reaffirm that the country would leave the EU well on schedule.
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Michael Gove, the minister in charge of preparations for Brexit, even announced that he was preparing to start preparations for an exit without agreement. "This is what the country wants and the prime minister is determined, we must leave the European Union on October 31 and we will do it, we have the capacity and the means," he said.
Letters that sow trouble
While the government is threatening a rejection by the Europeans of a new extension, the opponents of Boris Johnson, they accuse him of not respecting the law. At issue: the sending of two contradictory letters to Brussels. One asked for a postponement of the Brexit and the other expressing the opposition of Boris Johnson to a delay of negotiations.
A new vote in sight
Despite this defeat, the Prime Minister believes he has the necessary number of votes in Parliament to pass his agreement. Tomorrow, he should try to organize a new vote.
This attempt to break through might, however, be blocked by the Speaker of the House of Commons. It does not matter: the government intends to continue the legislative process to introduce the new agreement in the UK law.
Europeans procrastinate
In Brussels, the President of the European Council Donald Tusk for his part said Saturday evening "start consulting EU leaders on how to react." According to a European source, the consultations "could take a few days". On Sunday, during a short meeting in Brussels of the ambassadors of the 27, around the European negotiator Brexit Michel Barnier, the request was raised but not even debated.
"The European Union keeps all the options open," a European diplomat told AFP on condition of anonymity, saying the process of ratification of the agreement was well under way.