Just hours after the announcement of the historic agreement negotiated in extremis between the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson was quick to proclaim victory in a speech to the nation on Christmas Eve .
The British Prime Minister could boast of having "delivered Brexit" in accordance with what he had promised when he was elected a year ago.
But, an agreement found does not mean an agreement ... ratified.
It has yet to be validated by the EU, but also by the British Parliament where the vote has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 30.
With a comfortable majority of 80 MPs, Boris Johnson has every reason to be optimistic on paper.
Even the leader of the Labor opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, called on his group to speak out in favor of the agreement, although "thin", according to the latter, but reached "in the national interest".
Avoiding a Theresa May setback
However, things are not that simple and the tenant of Downing Street is well aware of it.
At the lowest in the polls, he nevertheless hopes to take advantage of this political victory to make people forget his management of the Covid-19 health crisis.
A management particularly criticized since Boris Johnson's decision to put part of the country under a leaden cover - while he had promised a "normal Christmas" in November - after the discovery of a variant of the virus apparently more contagious.
As a result, many Britons were unable to spend the holidays with their families and around 40 countries closed their borders to the United Kingdom.
In this context, therefore, there was no question of living the disastrous experience of the one who had preceded him in Downing Street, Theresa May, whose withdrawal agreement from the EU had been refused three times by Parliament in 2019. Boris Johnson a therefore took the lead.
Even before the official announcement of the deal on Thursday afternoon, he called several “Brexiters” MEPs to ensure their support.
Problem, however, some elected officials have already notified him of their refusal to vote for.
Fishermen's disappointments, Scottish claims
The conservative European Research Group has also announced the creation of a special committee to examine "in detail" the text in order to verify that "its provisions really protect the sovereignty of the United Kingdom".
In line of sight, among others, the subject of fishing, symbol for the “Brexiters” of this sovereignty.
The director general of the national federation of fishermen's organizations expressed his disappointment, arguing that the government would have released too much ballast.
Other economic sectors have also warned that they will scrutinize the whole deal carefully.
And if the deal passes, all will not be over.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Prime Minister, is already calling for a second referendum on the independence of Scotland, which had voted 62% to stay in the European Union.
In Northern Ireland, the separatists could also push for a reunification with Ireland, 100 years after the separation of the two territories.