British Prime Minister Theresa May called on 18th April for a snap election to take place on 8th June, despite repeatedly claiming she was against of an early vote. To validate the organisation of the election, the Prime Minister still has to win the approval of Parliament by a two-thirds majority.

In a surprise statement outside Downing Street, Theresa May explained she has given stability after the referendum results. However, she’s convinced that the UK needs more now. “We need a general election and we need one now,” she said. “I have only recently and reluctantly come to this conclusion but now I have concluded it is the only way to guarantee certainty for the years ahead.”

She clearly said that it was her duty to bring stability and certainty to the whole country, and, even though she did not call for a general election happily, she cannot do anything else. « I thought about this long and hard and came to the decision that to provide for that stability and certainty, this was the way to do it,” she told ITV’s political editor, Robert Peston.

What is for sure is that Theresa May wants to establish a fair relation between the UK and the UE when negotiations begin. As a consequence, she has to call for a general election to give her country a « chosen », elected PM. She does not forget that she is not elected but that she has been designated by her party.

She added that she was asking the British people to put their trust in her. Pressed on the notion that it was more about personal and party interest than for the sake of the country, she disagreed. “This is a decision that I’ve taken reluctantly in the national interest,” May said, arguing that a decisive election victory would strengthen the government’s hand in Brexit negotiations.

Chloé LOURENÇO

Source : The Guardian