British leaders struggle to deliver Brexit after being confused by an obscure parliamentary regime



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BRUSSELS – British Prime Minister Theresa May's efforts to pull her country out of the European Union remained in a state of chaos on Tuesday as she struggled to bypbad a shocking parliamentary decision that could force her to ask her European leaders for a long time. divorce period.

May rubbed shoulders with his advisers for hours trying to devise a new strategy to get lawmakers to sign the divorce agreement before Britain's planned departure from Britain. On March 29, its chairman, John Bercow, announced Monday that he would not allow a third vote on a divorce agreement, which the UK legislature has already announced. twice rejected.

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May's high lieutenants publicly acknowledged that Bercow's unexpected announcement meant that she would probably go empty-handed to a crucial US. summit, from Thursday, where the remaining 27 USU The leaders will think about how long it will take for Britain to stay in the club beyond this month. May could propose a delay in advance: a plan announced in the British media was a long delay of at least nine months, unless it could pbad the current divorce agreement before July, when a new European Parliament must sit.

"For my Brexit colleagues, I think they can see that there is a growing risk of Brexit's absence," Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay told the BBC. He added that May could still try to hold another vote before the Brexit deadline, but said that anyway, she will have to seek an extension from her colleague, USU leaders.

On Monday, Bercow invoked a parliamentary convention dating back to 1604 which, he said, prohibited voting in Parliament if it had already been rejected at the same session of the legislature. May had hoped that Brexiteer's legislators would be sufficiently frightened by the prospect of being stuck in the EU. pbad his plan on the third attempt.

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One way to bypbad Bercow's injunction would be to flash the switches in Parliament, declare the end of the current session and start a new one, legal experts said. But that would require calling Queen Elizabeth II for certain ceremonies, which Barclay said the leaders would not force him to take. (She'll be 93 next month, after all.)

The rolling of the wheels in London left European leaders incredulous about the process that many of them had already felt had reached the bottom. Some reiterated their need for a concrete plan from May on what it would do with the extra time. To grant a long extension, many US policy makers said they would like to be badured that Britain will change its red lines to bargain or will hold another referendum or a new election to settle itself.

"I will fight until the last hour of March 29 so that we can always withdraw in an orderly manner," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin. "I must admit that I did not actively know the rules of the 17th century British Parliament."

French leaders seemed to be more and more humble, adopting a bon-cop-cop routine that has developed together with Germany on Brexit-related issues over the last few months.


German Chancellor Angela Merkel reiterated on Tuesday that she would fight until the last hour of March 29 to obtain "an orderly exit" for Britain. (Krisztian Bocsi / Bloomberg)

The British "said no to a non-agreement and they said no to a realistic agreement. Now, they must change their minds about one or the other, "French Minister for Europe Nathalie Loiseau told reporters in Brussels.

Loiseau recently wrote on her private Facebook page that she had called her Brexit cat because she could not decide if she wanted to be inside or out, according to the French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche.

When she was asked about her cat on Tuesday, she said, "I think I need some sense of humor to handle Brexit."

European leaders did not rule out the possibility of a chaotic, no-net departure for Britain in 10 days – a step that could block trade between Britain and the rest of the world and trigger a economic earthquake.

"Vote against" disagree "does not prevent it from happening," said the head of the EU. Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told reporters in Brussels. "Everyone should now finalize all the preparations for a" disagree "scenario."

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But even if they grant an extension, which most European decision-makers seem to prefer, they will be confronted with a lot of practical problems as to the time to be given. The main challenge is the elections to the European Parliament scheduled for the end of May. If Britain decides not to participate, the longest period during which most European leaders are willing to allow an extension goes until the end of June.

Longer than that, and the new parliament will be in session. If Britain is still a US lawless member in its parliament, which violates US treaties, and the actions of parliament could be subject to legal challenges.

The British members of the European Parliament are already preparing for their departure. But even if Britain wins an extension and holds its elections for the Brussels body in May, US policymakers fear it will play a spoiler role in the bloc's talks. As long as Britain stays in the club, it will have a say in its decision-making – a quirk that means May will also sign a series of non-Brexit U.S. political selections at the top this week.

Quentin Ariès contributed to this report.

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