Theresa May arrives at emergency E.U. summit to beg for Brexit delay

Source: Washington Post

BRUSSELS — For nearly three years, British Prime Minister Theresa May has been gambling that fellow E.U. leaders would yield to her demands when it came time for Britain to split from the European Union. Wednesday was her day to fold her cards.

With just two days before Britain could break from the bloc without a deal to manage the withdrawal or any transition period, May must now beg to remain inside it. She has asked to move Friday’s exit date to the end of June.

But if May is tapping out of the game, so too are the cautious leaders of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and other European countries, all of whom stand to lose from the unpredictable economic whirlwind set off by a no-deal divorce.

No one expects Britain to be pushed out on Friday. More likely, European leaders will offer a long extension and try to avoid the need for many more high-stakes Brexit summits.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/theresa-may-heads-to-decisive-eu-summit-to-beg-for-more-time-before-britain-brexits/2019/04/10/1b342ffa-5622-11e9-aa83-504f086bf5d6_story.html?utm_term=.6d745eb01f72