• Voting: British Parliament forces Boris Johnson to request an extension of Brexit

The meeting was about to end. The result seemed clear: on October 31 at midnight - a night already symbolically negative in the popular imaginary - a Brexit would finally be consummated with agreement. But in time of discount a united British opposition has cast a goal to Boris Johnson in the form of the Letwin amendment, which leads the party to a new extension ... or not ... While it is true that the United Kingdom's departure from The European Union was not a happy ending for the whole of Europeans or for us , the Spaniards, it is no less that the current situation is once again characterized by an unwanted uncertainty.

(Re) I write these lines (for the last time?) With the frustration of who had already made a draft text in which he assumed that the new British Prime Minister would finally achieve (as he assured us, bluntly, 48 hours ago) win a vote in Westminster (differing from Theresa May, to which he contributed to "resign"). This would have allowed us to turn the page and start looking to the future, negotiating a new relationship, as close as possible, with our British friends, both commercially, in security and defense or in so many other issues where we share values, history or interests. . But as I noted earlier, the situation in British politics means that, once again, we are faced with uncertainty.

It should be remembered that, 11 months ago, we managed to close an agreement that covered the fundamental aspects of the agreed divorce: the rights of citizens, the payment of outstanding contributions by the United Kingdom and the thorny issue of the border between Ireland and Ireland from North. Some capital was also included - a Fixed Rock - for Spain: the Gibraltar issue. A protocol in this regard in the agreement protects our national interests with a triple historical shield that guarantees the decisive, unavoidable, role of Spain regarding the future of Gibraltar's relationship with the European Union. To this armor the four memoranda of understanding and the Fiscal Treaty between Spain and the United Kingdom on that British colony must be added. The last colony in Europe.

However, the British Parliament rejected up to four times the agreement reached by Theresa May, which, at the request of the United Kingdom, the Twenty-seven granted him twice an extension to avoid non-agreement.

Our immutable perspective from the beginning of the negotiation has been to limit the damages to the maximum , avoiding the abyss of an abrupt exit, very detrimental to the interests of all. Therefore, we congratulate ourselves on the agreement endorsed this Thursday in the European Council by the Heads of State and Government of the Union; an agreement that solved the problem of the Irish border and reaffirmed the respect for the interests of Spain. An agreement that, as I said, should have been approved yesterday in the House of Commons.

We have always trusted (and continue to do so) that Brexit would not occur without agreement. However, the Government of Spain has been working in the event of any eventuality. The most significant evidence is the approval of Royal Decree Law 5/2019, of March 1, which adopts contingency measures in the event of a withdrawal from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union without agreement . It guarantees, among others, all citizen rights. Despite this, the Popular Party did not vote for it. Another example is the pioneering agreement with the United Kingdom on the maintenance of the right to vote in municipal elections for citizens of both countries.

If something can be positive about Brexit (in addition to the unwavering unity of the Twenty-Seven) is the excellent coordination work between our administrations for the benefit of our citizens and businesses. The multiplication of tremendously productive meetings (interministerials - some of them chaired by the President of the Government itself), with the Autonomous Communities within the framework of the CARUE or those of the Brexit Working Group, which I have the honor to preside over) has demonstrated this . This should strengthen our confidence as a country.

Now we can only wait, in the double sense of the word. We Spaniards and all Europeans have done everything in our power to avoid the horizon of an abrupt departure by the United Kingdom. We hope that, as soon as possible, you will be able to make a final decision about your future , whether it is within the European Union or if it is. Our citizens, our companies and all our European projects and challenges need this endless Brexit (whose script seems out of the hands of Michael Ende himself) to conclude once and for all.

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Marco Aguiriano Nalda is Secretary of State for the European Union

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