European leaders took little time to digest Britain’s complex general election result before insisting that Brexit negotiations must go on, regardless of the hung parliament which threatens to sink talks before they’ve even begun.
There seemed to be a general consensus among European Union officials and heads of member states: Theresa May’s decision to call a snap election was the wrong one.
“Yet another own goal, after Cameron now May, will make already complex negotiations even more complicated,” said the European Parliament’s lead Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt.
With official talks due to start in 11 days, European Council President Donald Tusk seemed angry, tweeting: “We don’t know when Brexit talks start. We know when they must end. Do your best to avoid a ‘no deal’ as result of ‘no negotiations.’”
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was quoted by Politico sharing a similar opinion.
“We are ready to start negotiations,” Juncker told the magazine.
“I hope that the British will be able to form as soon as possible a stable government. I don’t think that things now have become easier but we are ready.”
The EU Commission’s Brexit man Michel Barnier also felt it was time Britain sorted out its government.
“#Brexit negotiations should start when UK is ready; timetable and EU positions are clear. Let’s put our minds together on striking a deal,” he tweeted on Friday morning.
Elsewhere in Europe, French President Emmanuel Macron wants things to move along, while German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel hopes a UK government “is formed quickly.”
“I think the message of the election is: have fair discussions with the EU and have another think about whether it is good for Britain to leave the EU in this way,” Gabriel added.
The Czech Prime Minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, too said Britain should not be granted any extension on the two year Brexit deadline.
But the man who hopes to dethrone German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the coming September elections, SDP leader Martin Schulz, congratulated his British counterpart, Jeremy Corbyn, on the night’s results.
“Just talked to Jeremy Corbyn on the phone. We agreed to meet very soon,” Schulz wrote on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras, who brought the far-left Syriza to power in 2015 sent warm greetings to his "friend", Jeremy Corbyn.
“The left that dares can inspire and mobilize people. Two months ago the pollsters have decided his crash. But it is the voters and especially the young ones that decide in the elections. Neither those that express neoliberalism and austerity, nor the right-wing populism can give hope to people," he tweeted.