Donald Tusk proposes EU leaders Brexit postponement until the end of January

United Kingdom and Gibraltar European Union membership referendum

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EU Council President Donald Tusk wants to recommend EU member states to accept the Brexit extension requested by Britain. This was to be done to prevent an unregulated EU exit ("no-deal-brexit"), Tusk wrote. He will suggest a "written procedure".

Following PM @ BorisJohnson's decision to pause the process of ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, and in order to avoid a no-deal #Brexit, I would recommend the EU27 accept the UK request for an extension. For this I want to propose a written procedure.

Britain's PM Boris Johnson wrote to the EU asking Brexit for a postponement of Brexit by 31 January 2020 because he was required by law to do so. At the same time, however, he spoke out against it. (Read here which options are still possible at Brexit.)

On Tuesday, the British House of Commons initially approved the legal framework for Britain's exit from the EU in principle. In a second vote, however, British MPs voted against Johnson's future schedule for Brexit deliberations.

Johnson's goal was to leave the EU on 31 October and whip his deal through the House of Commons within three days (Read how Boris Johnson tried to enforce Brexit by the end of October). Johnson had been disappointed with the failed vote in parliament and referred to the EU, which now has to agree to a delay again.

For the further delay, however, Tusk must expect headwinds within the EU. The French Minister for European Affairs, Amelie de Montchalin, was critical of the proposal. What are the justifications? "De Montchalin told the French Senate.