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The British Parliament rejected the overwhelming majority on Tuesday, the "brexit" agreement negotiated by British Prime Minister Theresa May with the European Union.
It could take 320 votes of the 650 deputies that make up the House of Commons to pass the agreement, but this was rejected with 432 votes against, against 202 in favor, despite the May warnings about the "uncertainty" that would have caused this decision .
"The risk of a disorderly withdrawal from the UK has increased with this afternoon's vote. (…) I urge the United Kingdom to clarify its intentions as soon as possible. Time is running out ", said the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, a few minutes after the vote.
"If an agreement is impossible, and nobody wants a" no deal ", who will finally have the courage to say what is the only positive solution?", Asked the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk in his Twitter account.
He said this in a statement after the vote: "It is clear that the Assembly does not support this agreement. But today's vote does not tell us anything about what it supports. Nothing about how – or even if – they intend to honor the decision that the British people have taken a referendum that Parliament has decided to carry out ".
A country in limbo
Thus, just over two months from the date set for Brexit, on 29 March, the country was plunged into limbo. May promised that the government will present an alternative plan on Monday. But it will be on condition to survive the motion of censure presented by the Labor party.
This motion, however, is not a guaranteed success: although many conservative rebels voted against the May agreement, it is not certain that they will support an initiative that could expel their party from power. However, May plan B can be changed by parliamentarians with their proposals, so all options remain open: from a Brexit without agreement of catastrophic consequences to a second referendum, through a renegotiation with the EU.
In anticipation of the hurricane being prepared in London, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, had returned to Brussels in the afternoon, canceling his participation in a planned debate with the Spanish head of government, Pedro Sánchez, on Wednesday in Strasbourg. European officials have repeatedly stated that this was "the only possible agreement".
"Theresa May is right in saying that it was the agreement that presented or no agreement," said French Minister for European Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau. "Unless the UK changes its position and gets a new proposal," he added. After the rejection of the text, "the next few weeks and months could be difficult", said Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz before the European Parliament.
Theresa May is right to say that it was the agreement while presenting it or no agreement
May, aware of being directed to a resounding defeat, had already canceled the first session of parliamentary ratification scheduled for December 11th. Five weeks later, nothing had changed. By showing the profound division that Brexit had planted in the country, activists from both camps had been concentrating since morning on the doorstep of Parliament to send their messages to the deputies.
"We vote in favor of Brexit, we want to leave the European Union. And we want people in the Chamber to see us, listen and listen to what we say ", said Sally Smith, an employee in the building sector. Surrounded by activists with European flags, another complaint, Elena Useinovic, said: "I hope that all of Brexit will stop, that there will be a popular consultation, but I think the last two years of British politics have shown madness in this country".
AFP
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