EU elections on May 23 are set to play a big role in how long the extension can last
Theresa May formally requested an extension to Brexit negotiations on Wednesday, however the European Commission has expressed deep concerns over her chosen date of June 30.
Following Prime Ministers’ Questions, May sent a formal letter to European Council president Donald Tusk asking to delay the UK leaving the EU. Despite two major parliamentary defeats for the withdrawal agreement negotiated by the two parties, the PM is said to be considering a third meaningful vote.
That may not be May’s immediate concern, however, after a document uncovered by Reuters revealed the European Commission’s rejection of June 30 as an exit date, in relation to the upcoming EU elections.
“Any extension offered to the United Kingdom should either last until 23 May 2019 or should be significantly longer and require European elections,” the weekly meeting memo said.
“This is the only way of protecting the functioning of the EU institutions and their ability to take decisions.”
May has repeatedly said that she does not want the UK to participate in EU elections, along with her rejection of a lengthy delay to Brexit.
On Thursday, she will travel to an EU summit where the details of the delay are expected to be hammered out, with the March 29 deadline legally binding unless any agreement is sealed otherwise.
