[ad_1]
Given the pathological level of anger expressed by both sides during the final months of the Battle of Brexit, the most surprising thing now, when the dust settles, is how happy everyone seems to be, at least according to the newspapers.
“Britain and Europe are very welcome to post-Brexit relations,” reads the cover of The world.
Le Figaro It boils down to calling the deal reached Thursday “historic” in two separate front-page headlines. “Complex” is the other word used by the Right on a daily basis to describe a deal that involves nearly 2,000 pages of fine print.
Launching he wonders what British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will do next. He was elected on the simple and sole promise of pulling the UK out of the EU. Work done. Will “Jojo”, as the left-wing French daily calls it, now disappear without a trace, leaving others to pick up the pieces? Because there are pieces, in abundance.
Next week, customs barriers will fall on both sides of the English Channel. Trade will become less simple, fishing quotas remain to be agreed, Northern Ireland has been assigned to the Twilight Zone, the Erasmus initiative for European students has been amputated …
A deal is better than no deal, of course. But by the time we get to the end of the massive document detailing this divorce settlement, will we be able to tell the difference?
‘Less worse result’
European leaders, from Germany’s Merkel and France’s Macron, to Ireland’s Martin, are delighted that disaster has been averted.
“Fair, balanced and fair,” EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said of the last minute result. Everyone is emphasizing the need to look to the future, perhaps to make sure that no one gets too caught up in the details of the so-called “deal.”
Across the channel, the mood is a bit more realistic.
“European leaders welcome the Brexit deal as the worst possible outcome,” reads the main headline of The Guardian.
“Deal finally done” says he always sober Times, adding a UK negotiator’s observation that “it was like tearing your eyelashes one by one.”
the Daily express issues grim warning: “EU doomed: post-Brexit Brussels could turn into an economic backwater.” At least that is clear. We cannot say that we were not warned.
