While the ruling political class in the United Kingdom is currently immersed in the process of choosing the new Tory leader and, therefore, the country's Prime Minister, after Theresa May's departure on 7 June, the Twenty-Seven, meeting in Brussels, will take the opportunity, on Friday morning, under the configuration of Article 50, to remind their British partner of the principles guiding the negotiations on the EU's Withdrawal Agreement in an orderly manner, principles that were again recalled on 10 April in Brussels and remain unchanged.
In particular, it will be reaffirmed that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be reopened and that the backstop for Ireland cannot be modified. "The update will be very brief", several European sources pointed out on Wednesday 19 June, but one of them added that it will make it possible to "see where we stand" since 10 April, when a new extension of Article 50 until 31 October had been granted to the United Kingdom.. The Commission should also, at this session, inform leaders on the EU's preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
This 'Brexit' update at the European Summit was requested by France, which wants to take stock of events since April. A few other leaders may also want to intervene, another European source said.
In London on 19 June, Boris Johnson was still the favourite to replace Mrs May, after a new selection round on 18 June, which eliminated former Brexit minister Dominic Raab from the race. The former minister is now backing Boris Johnson over Jeremy Hunt and Rory Stewart, the current Secretary of State for International Development. A new selection round to decide between the last five candidates takes place this 19 June. On 20 June, there will only be two left. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)