German Chancellor Angela Merkel says European Union leaders could approve a short delay to Brexit in principle so long as Britain’s Parliament passes a twice-rejected withdrawal deal next week. She says that if that doesn’t happen, another EU summit might be needed.
British Prime Minister Theresa May is seeking EU approval for delaying Brexit from March 29 to June 30 at a summit starting Thursday. That request is complicated by European Parliament elections May 23-26 that Britain doesn’t want to participate in.
Merkel told German lawmakers that “we can comply in principle with this request if we were to have a positive vote next week on the withdrawal documents in the British Parliament,” but the EU must take care that the legitimacy of the European elections is ensured. She added that, if the withdrawal deal isn’t passed next week, “we will keep open whether there has to be another meeting of the European Council before the withdrawal date.”