4:20 p.m. ET, October 22, 2019
After night of high drama in London, all eyes now on Brussels
Analysis from CNN's Nina Dos Santos in Brussels
Banners, Union and EU flags are displayed outside the Houses of Parliament in London.
TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images
Judging by comments made by top European officials in Brussels and Strasbourg this week, the EU is giving plenty of signals that it will grant the UK another Brexit extension.
But, the question is how long?
It’s becoming increasingly clear that deadlines are slipping to get the necessary legislation in order for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal to become reality and that’s not just in Britain’s House of Commons but also in the EU parliament.
On Monday the latter took the decision not to ratify anything until a final version of the withdrawal agreement clears all its stages in the UK. That will inevitably lead to a few extra weeks’ work on the EU side and it will do all it can to avoid being blamed if things are not ready on October 31.
For this reason a short technical extension, or even an extension until January 31, 2020 -- as per the Prime Minister's request over the weekend, would be enough time to dot the i's and cross the t’s of any outstanding legal hurdles. But if the UK finds itself facing an election -- it might need a lot longer than that.
Crucial to how long it could get will be the balance of power between Germany -- which with a hefty chunk of exports heading for Britain is in favor of a longer extension, and France -- which wants things over and done with sooner.