The UK should use the next few months to “cool down and rethink” its decision to leave the EU, according a candidate in the running to be the European Commission’s next president.
Frans Timmermans, the socialist contender to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker, said delaying Brexit until October had given the country to opportunity to “look at the issue again”.
The Dutchman, who is currently the commission’s vice-president, said: “I absolutely hope that the UK might stay in the EU.
“I hope this period of extension will be used for Britain to calm down and rethink things a bit, perhaps for politicians to be more responsible with the promises they make, and then look at the issue again later this year.
“Who knows what might change in the meantime?”
Timmermans was expressing a sentiment shared by some in the EU, notably the chairman of EU leaders, Donald Tusk, that Britain could still change its mind and stay in the EU.
The comments came during a television debate on France 24 with his main rival, Manfred Weber of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), who is favourite to succeed Juncker in May.
The EU political group with most seats in the European Parliament expects its candidate for commission president to land the job, although the decision formally lies with EU leaders.
Latest polls – which assume UK participation in the elections – show the EPP winning 178 seats and the socialists getting 144 seats.
from Trendy Newses http://bit.ly/2VVYaly
0 Comments