British pride went up in smoke on the deadline of March 29

The date on which Britain had to leave the European Union seemed to be engraved in stone: on March 29, 2019. When it finally arrived without the Brexit happening, the Europeans shook their heads with incredulity.

They saw how three years of bragging as to how the British would leave the EU at their leisure evaporated last Friday with the last of three votes in Parliament that did not approve of the deal of divorce that the Prime Minister Theresa May had reached the bloc of the EU, leaving an uncertain way into the future.

"There was no game plan or strategy," said Philippe Lamberts, an influential member of the Brexit coordination group in the European Parliament, about the British approach.

Few British would disagree with him.

For decades, the European Union has been the target of criticism among the British for what was perceived as European arrogance and inefficient bureaucracy. But on Friday, very few people were jubilant on the continent after May failed to get approval from the British Parliament, which plunged London further into the Brexit Reservoir.

The EU convened another emergency summit on April 10, two days before a new date for Britain's withdrawal from the bloc. It is expected that chaotic "no agreement" prospects will be costly for British companies and embarrbading for their borders. May warned that there would be "serious" implications.

The bloc does not want to inflame even more the pbadions because it would also suffer the consequences, with hundreds of billions of euros and tens of thousands of jobs at stake if Britain withdrew without the Application of transition measures.

"Everyone loses with Brexit," said Ewa Osniecka-Tamecka, vice-chancellor of the University of Europe, in one of its branches in Natolin, Poland. "With Brexit, the EU and Britain lose at once."

European officials were frustrated and felt that both themselves and their star negotiator, Michel Barnier, had done their part, unlike the British.

Even Nigel Farage, a British politician who has campaigned for Brexit and who strongly opposes the European Union, has nothing but admiration for Barnier, who has kept 27 nations aligned. while Britain collapsed in chaos.

"I would like him to be part of my team and not his team," said Farage, a member of the European Parliament.

Nearly three years after the Brexit referendum of June 23, 2016, the British government and parliament still seem puzzled over the concessions they are actually hoping to get from the EU.

"Great Britain is at a dead end," said Nathalie Loiseau, French Minister of Europe until her resignation this week to stand in the European elections from May 23 to 26. "Europeans have other priorities than waiting for Britain to make a decision".

Elections

Britain should not hold national elections until 2022, but with the deadlock in Parliament, the chances of moving forward are greater.

Opposition politicians believe that the only way to make progress is to hold early elections that would restructure parliament and put an end to political dead ends. They could try to dismiss the government with a motion of censure, causing a general election.

Or the government itself could start if he thought he had nothing to lose.

May promised to resign if her agreement on Brexit was approved and if Britain left the EU in May. Although the deal was rejected, he still faces many pressures for him to resign, paving the way for a leadership race for the conservative party.

New referendum

Another option considered by the legislators was to vote on any agreement in a "confirmation referendum". The idea has received considerable support from opposition parties, as well as some members of the conservative party.

The government dismissed the idea of ​​another referendum, but could change in view there seemed to be no other way to approve the pact on the Brexit: In 2016, Britain had voted 52% against 48% in favor of the exit of the EU. Since then, polls suggest that the "stay" part has taken hold, but it's not at all clear.