On Tuesday 18^th, Theresa May has called for snap general election “to make a success of Brexit”. She claimed that division at Westminster could obstruct the Brexit negotiations. Election would help to unify Parliament and to prevent instability.

“I think it is right now to ask the British people, to put their trust in me and the Conservative Party to deliver on their vote last year a Brexit plan that will make a success for this country and deliver a stronger, fairer global Britain in the future”, she said.

As a reminder, Theresa May became prime minister after British approved Brexit in June 2016. David Cameron, who had campaigned against leaving the European Union, resigned when Brexit passed. Currently the conservative party hold 330 seats out of 600. This is thus a small majority. The snap election could increase this majority and allow her to pass the Brexit legislation more easily.

The House of Commons has voted this proposal on Wednesday. To agree the vote Theresa May needed two-thirds of all MPs (so 434 MPs). Finally 522 MPs were in favour while 13 were against. Therefore British will go to the polls on June 8 instead of 2020. The question is: why are certain MPs reluctant? Of the 13 all but two were against the Brexit and had campaigned to stay in the European Union.

A short election campaign of less than 2 month will now begin in UK. Theresa May already announced that she would not participate to TV debates before election. “I believe in campaigns in which politicians actually go out and meet the voters”

Will Brexit be at the heart of the election campaign? Until now Theresa May sticks to her formal document setting out her desire for more control over immigration, leaving the single market and removing the UK from the jurisdiction of the European courts.

One thing is certain: elections in Europe are full of surprises!

Margaux Etienne

Sources / to find out more:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/18/breaking-theresa-may-make-statement-downing-street-1115am1/

http://www.euronews.com/2017/04/19/uk-to-hold-snap-general-election-on-june-8

http://www.euronews.com/2017/04/19/who-are-the-13-rebel-uk-mps-who-voted-no-to-a-general-election

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/04/20/britains-prime-minister-theresa-may-called-a-snap-election-heres-what-that-means/?utm_term=.01f831b645a1

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/18/theresa-may-rules-out-participating-in-tv-debates-before-election

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/19/election-will-give-uk-strongest-hand-in-brexit-talks-says-theresa-may