The European Council extends Brexit, with strings attached

Theresa May gets her extension. But it could be only two weeks before a no-deal Brexit looms again

It was meant to be sorted out before dinner. In fact the European Council discussion on March 21st over whether to extend the Article 50 deadline of March 29th went on to almost midnight. That was partly because European Union leaders wanted to resolve the issue, not to be dragged back to Brussels on march 28th. But it was also because Theresa May was maddeningly vague about^[각주:1] what she would do if Britain's Parliament once again rejects the Brexit deal when she puts it to a third meaningful vote next week. 

The prime minister had come to the European Council seeking an extension of the deadline to June 30th. But EU leaders were quick to reject this, talking instead about May 22nd, the day before the European Parliament elections. And when Mrs May remained silent about her fallback options, the leaders decided to concoct a timetable of their own^[각주:2] - without her even being present in the room. 

The new plan is to extend the deadline to May 22nd, but only if Parliament passes the Brexit deal next week. If it still refuses, the deadline will become April 12th (the deadline for Britain to legislate to hold European elections in May), when Mrs May will be asked to come up with a proposal. EU leaders said they were willing then to offer a much longer extension (Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, joked that it could be "until the very end") - but only if Britain were prepared to hold European Parliament elections. This is something Mrs May has set her face against. 

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said that Britain would face four choices: the current Brexit deal; no deal; revoking Article 50; or accepting a long extension^[각주:3]. Asked about these choices Mrs May carefully ruled out only revoking Article 50. Yet in practice, unless MPs shift within days towards backing the deal, she will face a binary choice: between no deal and holding European elections, which would also imply a long extension. 

The prime minister's already slim chances of getting her deal through seem to have got slimmer still since her ill-advised attack on^[각주:4] MPs earlier this week for obstructing the people's will^[각주:5]. Last night she was more conciliatory^[각주:6], saying that, although she felt frustrated, she understood why MPs were frustrated too. Yet with the threat of no deal on March 29th having vanished, so has any real likelihood that the House of Commons will vote for the deal next week. 

Instead MPs seem likely to take over the agenda themselves and begin the process of holding indicative votes on different Brexit options. These could include a Norway-like version now dubbed Common Market 2.0, which^[각주:7] Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, is thinking of supporting. Another option may be to go back to the people in a fresh referendum, perhaps by offering voters a choice between the current deal and staying in the EU. 

Yet time is tight: April 12th is just three weeks away. And since Mrs May seems so firmly opposed to holding European elections, the risk of a no-deal Brexit remains. Until this week most observers thought the prime minister would at the last minute^[각주:8] pull back from such a potentially damaging choice^[각주:9]. But there were signals this week that she might not. A no-deal Brexit would at least allow her to say she had got Britain out of the EU. It is still not the most probable outcome^[각주:10]. But it has become more likely than it was a few weeks ago. 

1. maddeningly ; [부사] 미쳐; 미치게 하여, 미칠 듯하여; 사납게 날뛰어; (바람 따위가) 거세어, 맹렬하여. [본문으로]
2. concoct ; 2. (이야기 등을) 꾸며내다, 구성하다(make up, compose) ; (계획 등을) 꾸미다(devise). ;; [VERB] If you concoct an excuse or explanation, you invent one that is not true. ;; 미국식 [-ˈkɑːkt] 영국식 [kənˈkɒkt] [본문으로]
3. 여러 가지 선택 옵션을 접속사 대신에, 세미콜론(;)을 사용하여 분류한것을 확인 [본문으로]
4. ill-advised ; 지각없는, 사려 없는, 무분별한, 얕은(unwise, rash, imprudent). ;; 경솔한, 문제의 소지가 있는 ; 참조 well advised [본문으로]
5. obstruct ; 2. [타동사] (일의 진행 등을) 방해하다 ; 유의어 hinder [본문으로]
6. conciliatory ; 달래는(듯한), 회유적인(propitiating). ;; [ADJ] When you are conciliatory in your actions or behaviour, you show that you are willing to end a disagreement with someone. ;; 미국식 [-tɔːri] 영국식 [kənˈsɪliətəri] [본문으로]
7. dub ; [타동사] 2. <새 이름·별명·명칭을> 주다, 붙이다, <…을 …이라고> 부르다 ;; [VERB] If someone or something is dubbed a particular thing, they are given that description or name. [본문으로]
8. at the last minute ; 마지막 순간에, 임박해서 ;; as late as possible; almost too late [본문으로]
9. pull back from ; …에서 물러나다, …을 삼가다. [본문으로]
10. a probable outcome ; 가능한[예상] 결과 [본문으로]