Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, announced on October 28, 2019, that the EU agreed to grant Britain a new Brexit delay to January 31, 2020. The “flextension” gives Britain until January 31 to leave the bloc but provides them with the opportunity to leave before as long as the British Parliament passes all relevant legislation. France has insisted on granting Britain an extension until the end of November, which would allow Prime Minister Boris Johnson just enough time to try to push his agreement through parliament once again. While most European leaders are eager for proceedings to take place, the general consensus has been allowing events in London to play out naturally, as opposed to forcing political developments by granting a short extension.
Following the EU’s decision, the focus shifts back to the UK where a longer extension allows British leaders to examine the deal struck between Prime Minister Johnson and the EU or provides Johnson with the opportunity to hold general elections as an attempt to break the Brexit deadlock.
