HOLLAND – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party achieved an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections on Thursday. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is pleased that his win will at least bring quick clarity on what will happen with the Brexit, he said according to NOS.
“I don’t feel relief or sadness, but rather an factual finding to settle this. I think everyone thinks that is good news, otherwise it will keep us occupied for years”, Rutte said.
With almost all the results in, Johnson’s Conservatives stood at 352 of the 650 seats in the British parliament at 6:45 a.m. on Friday. The Conservatives are expected to reach more than 360 seats in the final results – the best result in decades.
Opposition party Labour suffered a crushing defeat, reaching just over 200 seats. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has announced his departure.
The election results mean that Johnson has free reign to arrange the Brexit. The United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union is planned for January 31st, after being postponed first from March to October, and then from October to January. The expectation is that British parliament will vote on the Brexit Act before next Friday.
Today the leaders of the 27 remaining EU Member States will discuss how to negotiate a trade agreement with the British.
