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Other EU members are dismissive today of declared French position that they could say no to a UK request for another #Brexit extension. “Usual French blah blah” said one diplomat from Northern Europe. “The times of Napoleon are over. France can’t dictate to the rest of Europe”/1
Common EU assumption is that EU would say yes to a UK extension request - if only as part of blame game. Ie: EU would not want to be seen to be closing door in face of UK if there’s still a chance of a deal /2
Macron openly said a couple of weeks ago that he is happy to play “bad cop” when it comes to Brexit. And France wants to keep pressure up on MPs to actually look for a way forward rather than just saying no to a no deal /3
That said, France prob more open to going for a no deal Brexit as a means of moving forward that the UK’s other closest neighbours but it is VERY unlikely France would veto an extension in opposition to EU majority /4
One EU diplomat put it to me thus: “Why would France waste a veto and EU good will over a Brexit extension? EU countries save their vetos for things they really care about” Ouch /5
