20 February 2016 British public opinion has been wavering for years between “leaving” and “staying” in the European Union. The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, wanted to settle the debate. He is betting while announcing the holding of a referendum in which he will vote to “stay” in the Union. On February 20, he fulfilled his promise and launched the referendum campaign.
23 June 2016 It’s D-Day. The British must answer the following question: “Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?” 51.89% of Britons are in favor of the “leave” option.
24 June 2016 In shock, having lost his challenge, David Cameron announces his resignation. A new election is underway for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Theresa May, a conservative from the “stay” camp, will succeed him the following July.
29 March 2017 Months pass and the British government finally stabilizes. The kick-off is then given: Theresa May officially requests a divorce from the European Commission. It’s day 1 of two years of negotiations between London and Brussels.
19 June 2017 The first round of negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom begins. These cycles repeat themselves for over a year. Finance, law, borders, institutions, immigration: the list of disputes is long.
25 November 2018 After 17 long months, the United Kingdom and the twenty-seven countries of the Union agree on the main terms of their separation. However, the British Parliament and the European Parliament must ratify this “withdrawal treaty” before it comes into force.
29 March 2019 The deal hits a wall. The House of Commons in London rejects the Brexit agreement for the third time, two years to the day after the date initially planned for the exit of the United Kingdom, that is to say on March 29, 2017.
24 May 2019 Unable to convince parliamentarians of the merits of this agreement, Theresa May announced her resignation from the post of Prime Minister. In July, Boris Johnson succeeds him and presents himself to voters as the one who will bring Brexit to fruition.
17 October 2019 A new agreement is reached on Brexit between the European Union and the United Kingdom, and this time is the right one. The British Parliament will approve it a few months later. This agreement will make it possible to “move on to other priorities”, declared Boris Johnson that day.
31 January 2020 Brexit is officially becoming a reality. At 11 p.m. sharp, on the eleven strokes of Big Ben, the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. The first post-Brexit negotiations then set in motion to find a trade agreement between the two divorcees…