The State of the European Union. The European Parliament faces its most important elections yet

THE UNCERTAINTIES OF BREXIT: QUO VADIS, BRITANNIA? 127 cently by European Commission President Jean- Claude Juncker. 33 In our estimation, the EU would only authorise a short extension of a few weeks that would be used, for example, to ap- prove any legislation necessary to see the sepa- ration process through. An indefinite extension unaccompanied by a well-defined road map implying a return to the negotiating table is out of the question for the negative impact the UK’s domestic crisis could have on the internal cohe- sion of the EU. The longer the extension, the more complicated the situation becomes for the Union as an extension beyond June would raise the thorny question as to whether the UK should participate in upcoming European Parliament elections. Revocation of Article 50 Although the European Court of Justice has re- cently ruled that the UK government is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its inten- tion to withdraw from the EU, such a scenario appears highly unlikely given the current political climate in the UK. There are only two plausible 33  Strupczewski, J.: “No one in Europe would oppose ex- tension to Brexit talks – Juncker”, Reuters, 18 February 2018. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-junck- er/no-one-in-europe-would-oppose-extension-to-brexit- talks-juncker-idUSKCN1Q71RF circumstances under which the British govern- ment would be apt to revoke its intention to withdraw from the EU, both of which would hinge on a strong indication of a shift in popular will on this issue: a new referendum indicating that the majority of British citizens are now in favour of the UK remaining in the EU or snap elections putting a party advocating that the UK remain in the Union in Downing Street. Both of these scenarios are currently impossible for two reasons, the first being May’s refusal to contem- plate a new referendum and the second being her ability to survive a no confidence vote in the House of Commons last January. With the date established for the UK’s with- drawal from the EU only five weeks away, the profound political crisis in which the UK is im- mersed makes it impossible to know what will happen. Although the uncertainty of this situa- tion is having a damaging effect on both par- ties, the negative fallout is currently, and apt to continue to be, greater for the UK than for the remaining 27 EU States. The Brexit process has provided clear lessons about the benefits European integration entails for both its Member States and citizens.