| UPDATE 1-N.Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship - KCNA Posted: 26 Oct 2019 03:12 PM PDT ![UPDATE 1-N.Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship - KCNA]( "UPDATE 1-N.Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship - KCNA") North Korea said on Sunday there has been no progress in the North Korea-United States relations, and hostilities that could lead to an exchange of fire have continued, according to North Korea's state news agency KCNA. Kim Jong Un has set an end-of-the-year deadline for denuclearisation talks with Washington. Kim Yong Chol was the nuclear talks envoy to the United States for the discussions between the two countries before the second summit between Trump and Kim Jong Un in Vietnam in February ended in failure.
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| Merkel's CDU faces far-right challenge in eastern German state vote Posted: 26 Oct 2019 03:00 PM PDT ![Merkel's CDU faces far-right challenge in eastern German state vote]( "Merkel's CDU faces far-right challenge in eastern German state vote") Germans in the eastern state of Thuringia vote on Sunday in an election in which the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is seeking to build on successes in two other regional votes last month and to beat Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. One of a number of nationalist movements making waves across Europe, the AfD is the third largest party in Germany's legislature behind Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). After gaining seats in the national parliament for the first time in 2017, the AfD is trying to build momentum in the east.
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| N.Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship - KCNA Posted: 26 Oct 2019 01:57 PM PDT ![N.Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship - KCNA]( "N.Korea tells U.S. not to ignore year-end deadline on Trump-Kim friendship - KCNA") North Korea said there has been no progress in the North Korea-United States relation, and hostilities that could lead to an exchange of fire have continued, according to North Korea's state news agency KCNA on Sunday. In a statement under the name of North Korea senior official Kim Yong Chol, KCNA said that it would be mistaken for the United States to ignore a year-end deadline on Trump's and Kim's personal relationship.
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| Anti-government protests rage in Iraq, 7 killed Posted: 26 Oct 2019 12:41 PM PDT  At least seven more Iraqi protesters were killed Saturday in clashes with security forces in Baghdad and the southern town of Nasiriyah, as thousands took part in nationwide anti-government protests, officials said. The new violence brought the number of demonstrators killed to 49 in two days of protesting, according to an Associated Press tally. The semi-official Iraq High Commission for Human Rights, which accounts for violence in additional cities in southern Iraq, put the death toll at 63.
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| The Latest: Commission: 63 killed in Iraq protests in 2 days Posted: 26 Oct 2019 12:16 PM PDT  Iraq's semi-official human rights commission says at least 63 protesters have been killed in two days of anti-government rallies in the capital and southern cities. The Iraq High Commission for Human Rights says Saturday the most protesters killed were in the southern city of Nasiriyah, where 15 died. At least 10 were killed in the capital, according to the commission, which said more than 2,500 protesters were injured in two days of rallies.
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| Saudi-brokered deal to include Yemen's southern separatists in government -sources Posted: 26 Oct 2019 12:06 PM PDT ![Saudi-brokered deal to include Yemen's southern separatists in government -sources]( "Saudi-brokered deal to include Yemen's southern separatists in government -sources") A preliminary deal between Yemen's Saudi-backed government and southern separatists to end a power struggle in Aden will see the separatists included in a new technocrat cabinet and both sides' forces placed under government control, sources said. The Saudi-brokered arrangement, an advanced version of which was seen by Reuters, is expected to be announced in coming days at a Riyadh ceremony attended by Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. While the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council (STC) has a rival agenda to Hadi's government — demanding self-rule in the south — they are both part of the Western-backed coalition that intervened in 2015 after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted Hadi from the capital Sanaa.
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| Lebanese block roads as mass demonstrations enter 10th day Posted: 26 Oct 2019 11:43 AM PDT  Lebanese anti-government protesters stepped up their efforts to block roads in and around the capital Beirut on Saturday, lying in the streets and chanting "peaceful, peaceful" as security forces struggled to drag them out of the way. The campaign of civil disobedience came on the 10th day of nationwide anti-government protests, the largest Lebanon has seen in years. "This is an uprising of a people who have been suffering for the last 30 years and can no longer tolerate their lies, theft and hypocrisy," said Rima, a 29-year-old who was manning one of the roadblocks in central Beirut, allowing in ambulances and motorcyclists.
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| Russia calls US move to protect Syrian oil 'banditry' Posted: 26 Oct 2019 11:05 AM PDT  U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the move is aimed at keeping the fields from potentially falling into the hands of Islamic State militants. The decision was the latest sign that extracting the U.S. military from Syria is more uncertain and complicated than President Donald Trump has made it out to be. On Saturday, there were several troop movements in Syria as the various players adjusted to the U.S. decision to withdraw troops from the northeast.
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| Germany’s Finance Minister Advances to Run-Off for Party Chief Posted: 26 Oct 2019 11:04 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz snatched a first-round win for the leadership of his Social Democratic Party, boosting the chances of survival for Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling coalition.Scholz, the only candidate who unequivocally backed staying in government, took 22.7% of the ballots, according to the party's tally on Saturday. He and his running mate, Brandenburg state politician Klara Geywitz, will face a leftist couple of government critics in the November run-off.Merkel aides and investors will be relieved by the result, as there were last-minute doubts whether Scholz would be among the top two finishers. Opinion polls with wide margins of error and doubts over online voting security exacerbated uncertainties.Relieved"I'm relieved and at the same time very happy about this good result," Scholz said at the party's headquarters in Berlin, sidestepping questions about government policies to focus on party unity.At stake is the direction of Merkel's economic policy and the survival of her coalition in the twilight of her political career. The majority of Scholz's opponents were from the SPD's leftist camp and had demanded a series of concessions of Merkel, such as boosting welfare spending or adopting minimum pensions.The leadership dispute coincides with a slowdown of Germany's economic growth to an estimated 0.5% this year from 2.5% just two years ago. It comes only days after Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, a Christian Democrat, proposed a peace-keeping force for northern Syria involving German troops. Her failure to consult the SPD, which is traditionally wary of such military commitments, renewed animosity between both parties.A victory for Scholz in the Nov. 30 run-off would bolster the potential of the 58-year-old labor lawyer to seek the chancellorship when Merkel's term ends in 2021.What is unclear is whether the splintered leftist vote will now unite against Scholz and make the run-off more difficult, or whether his experience and name-recognition will carry him across the finish line.SpendingNorbert Walter-Borjans, the 67-year-old former finance minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, and his running mate, legislator Saskia Esken, placed second with 21% of ballots.Walter-Borjans, who is in favor of abandoning the government's zero-deficit spending policy, suggested on Saturday night that it's time to leave government in order to meet the party's objectives of creating greater equality and opportunity."That's difficult to implement in the grand coalition," he said.Scholz, who is also deputy chancellor, said he wouldn't seek to polarize the debate in the second round as the objective was to unite the party. Bitter infighting among the Social Democrats had been blamed as part of the reason for their poor showing in opinion polls.Read More:Survival of Merkel Coalition at Stake as Allies Vote New ChiefMerkel's Successor Splits German Coalition With Rogue Syria PlanGermany Readying Stimulus Plan as Contingency for Deep Recession(Adds finalists' comments, details, context throughout.)To contact the reporter on this story: Birgit Jennen in Berlin at bjennen1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Ben Sills at bsills@bloomberg.net, Raymond Colitt, Tony CzuczkaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| UPDATE 1-Germany's Scholz tops SPD leader vote, but faces run-off Posted: 26 Oct 2019 10:52 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Germany's Scholz tops SPD leader vote, but faces run-off]( "UPDATE 1-Germany's Scholz tops SPD leader vote, but faces run-off") Finance Minister Olaf Scholz came first in a vote to elect a leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) but fell short of a majority, triggering a run-off set to fuel debate over whether to stay in government with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The SPD said on Saturday that Scholz, who is also vice chancellor and wants to stay in the fractious ruling alliance with Merkel's conservatives, won 22.7% of the vote by rank-and-file members. Scholz, 61, only narrowly beat left-winger and coalition sceptic Norbert Walter-Borjans, who came second with 21%.
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| Chile government promises reform after a million take to the streets in biggest protests for decades Posted: 26 Oct 2019 10:27 AM PDT  Chile's president called for a major cabinet reshuffle a day after widespread protests against inequality saw a million people flood Santiago's streets. Sebastián Piñera on Saturday said he had "put all my ministers on notice in order to restructure my cabinet to confront these new demands." He added the march was "a strong message, from a vast majority of Chileans calling for a fairer Chile. I think have all heard that message and we have changed." In an attempt to appease the week-long unrest, Mr Piñera announced plans to end the state of emergency on Sunday, with the military curfew to be lifted in at least five cities, including Santiago, on Saturday night. His words are the most significant response to the uprising so far and came on the eighth day of volatile unrest that has seen 19 people killed and more than 3,000 detained. Chile's human rights institute the INDH has confirmed five of the deaths were at the hands of armed forces, and more than 300 of the detainees are minors. More than a million Chileans took to the streets of Santiago - in a country of just 18 million Credit: AFP A team from the United Nations will arrive in Santiago on Monday to begin investigating allegations of human rights abuses against protesters. A peaceful demonstration in Santiago on Friday was the largest Chile had seen in decades, with many drawing comparisons to marches against the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in the late 1980s. Chileans of all ages and classes joined together in a historic and emotional day for the country, united against inequality, the high cost of education and healthcare, low pensions and stagnant wages. Although Chile is Latin America's most economically prosperous country, it is one of the most unequal. Earlier in the week Mr Piñera had announced a series of reforms to appease the unrest but turnout in Santiago on Friday showed these measures did not go far enough. President Pinera, in office since 2017, has been criticised for failing to grasp the severity of the crisis Credit: AFP Many chants and placards called for both the president and his cousin the interior minister Andrés Chadwick to resign. Others called for a new constitution, which endures as a legacy from Chile's 17-year military dictatorship. "We have had 30 years of inequality, of social injustice," said Mattias, a 20-year-old Catholic priest as he clapped his hands along to chants of Oh Chile Despertó (Chile woke up) close to Plaza Italia on Friday afternoon. "This is the first time the country has come together like this. Different religions are united, different football teams are united. All of Chile is united for the same cause: dignity and equality."
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| German finance minister into runoff in party leadership race Posted: 26 Oct 2019 10:22 AM PDT ![German finance minister into runoff in party leadership race]( "German finance minister into runoff in party leadership race") Germany's finance minister, a strong advocate of the Social Democrats' governing coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, has won the first round of a membership ballot to lead the center-left party. Olaf Scholz, who is also vice chancellor, and former regional lawmaker Klara Geywitz together received almost 22.7% of the vote in a race between six pairs.
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| Perry defends urging Trump to make call in impeachment focus Posted: 26 Oct 2019 10:06 AM PDT  Outgoing U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Saturday that he asked President Donald Trump to make the phone call at the center of the impeachment inquiry because it was "important" for the country's energy needs and had nothing to do with former Vice President Joe Biden or his son Hunter. Perry told The Associated Press that he urged Trump to call Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to offer Ukraine "an alternative to Russian gas" and said he never once heard the word Biden or Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company that once employed Biden's son. The impeachment inquiry is investigating whether Trump was withholding military aid unless Zelenskiy went public with a promise to investigate the Bidens.
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| Erdogan says will clear 'terrorists' from Syria border if Sochi deal fails Posted: 26 Oct 2019 09:05 AM PDT  President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey would "clear terrorists" on its border in northern Syria if Syrian Kurdish militia did not withdraw by the end of a deadline agreed with Russia. "If the terrorists are not cleared at the end of the 150 hours, we will take control and clean it ourselves," Erdogan said during a speech in Istanbul, referring to the YPG militia which Turkey views as a "terrorist" offshoot of Kurdish PKK insurgents. Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed a deal in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Tuesday in which Moscow will "facilitate the removal" of the fighters and their weapons from within 30 kilometres (18 miles) of the border.
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| UPDATE 1-Violence during Ethiopian protests was ethnically tinged, say eyewitnesses Posted: 26 Oct 2019 07:46 AM PDT ![UPDATE 1-Violence during Ethiopian protests was ethnically tinged, say eyewitnesses]( "UPDATE 1-Violence during Ethiopian protests was ethnically tinged, say eyewitnesses") Much of the fighting seen during protests in Ethiopia this week was ethnically tinged, eyewitnesses said on Saturday, describing attacks by young men from the Oromo ethnic group against people from other ethnic groups. There were clashes in several cities in Oromiya, Ethiopia's most populous province, underscoring the spectre of ethnic violence that the United Nations says has already internally displaced more than 2 million people. After activist Jawar Mohammed said police had ringed his home in Addis Ababa and tried to withdraw his government security detail, his supporters quickly took to the streets on Wednesday and Thursday to protest against his treatment.
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| From Beirut to Hong Kong, protests evoke global frustration Posted: 26 Oct 2019 07:40 AM PDT  In Hong Kong, it was a complicated extradition dispute involving a murder suspect. In Beirut, it was a proposed tax on the popular WhatsApp messenger service. In Chile, it was a 4-cent hike in subway fares.
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| Violence during Ethiopian protests was ethnically tinged, say eyewitnesses Posted: 26 Oct 2019 07:00 AM PDT ![Violence during Ethiopian protests was ethnically tinged, say eyewitnesses]( "Violence during Ethiopian protests was ethnically tinged, say eyewitnesses") Much of the fighting seen during protests in Ethiopia this week was ethnically tinged, eyewitnesses said on Saturday, describing attacks by young men from the Oromo ethnic group against people from other ethnic groups. There were clashes in several cities in Oromiya, Ethiopia's most populous province, underscoring the spectre of ethnic violence that the United Nations says has already internally displaced more than 2 million people. After activist Jawar Mohammed said police had ringed his home in Addis Ababa and tried to withdraw his government security detail, his supporters quickly took to the streets on Wednesday and Thursday to protest his treatment.
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| Johnson Sent to ‘Naughty Step’ on Brexit, DUP’s Foster Says Posted: 26 Oct 2019 06:45 AM PDT ![Johnson Sent to 'Naughty Step' on Brexit, DUP's Foster Says]( "Johnson Sent to 'Naughty Step' on Brexit, DUP's Foster Says") (Bloomberg) -- Sign up to our Brexit Bulletin, follow us @Brexit and subscribe to our podcast.Democratic Unionist Party Leader Arlene Foster threatened to frustrate Boris Johnson's efforts to push his Brexit deal through, warning the U.K. leader that her party would continue to oppose the accord in Parliament."Our votes mattered and our votes will matter in the coming days," Foster told the party conference in Belfast on Saturday, adding "rather than have Boris with us today we have had to send him to the naughty step in Parliament twice in the last week."Foster again urged Johnson to reopen his accord with the European Union on the terms of the U.K.'s divorce from the bloc. Under Johnson's deal, Northern Ireland would stick to some of the EU's -- and therefore the Irish Republic's -- food standards and customs rules, meaning there would be checks on goods traveling from the rest of the U.K. to the province. Moreover, the DUP alone won't have the power to veto the rules coming into force."With our ten votes being so critical in Parliament, there is a great responsibility to make sure we support the right decisions for Northern Ireland but have the boldness and strength to stand up and say no when we need to," Foster said. "On Brexit, we will not give support to the Government when we believe they are fundamentally wrong."On Thursday, Johnson said he will seek an election on Dec. 12. But to hold it, he needs the support of two-thirds of members of Parliament, and the opposition Labour party has said it will block it."There is much talk about the holding of a general election," Foster said. "This party is ready for any general election that may come."Illustrating the party's anger toward the Conservative government, it refused a request by Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay to address the conference."Given his recent inability to recall what he actually negotiated, we politely declined," Nigel Dodds, the party's deputy leader, said in a speech.To contact the reporter on this story: Dara Doyle in Dublin at ddoyle1@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Chad Thomas at cthomas16@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Bolton Threat, Brexit Gamble and Instagram Excess: Weekend Reads Posted: 26 Oct 2019 05:00 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Want to receive this post in your inbox every day? Sign up for the Balance of Power newsletter, and follow Bloomberg Politics on Twitter and Facebook for more.The House impeachment inquiry against U.S. President Donald Trump lurched into higher gear this week, and investors are already on tenterhooks over who'll win a 2020 U.S. election that could upend the decades-old status quo in global markets.In Britain, the Brexit saga spiraled closer to absurdity and U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is getting help from an unlikely partner across the English Channel, while in Hong Kong, police have face-recognition software using artificial intelligence. Also, have a look at the rollicking posts of an African dictator's son who's spraying Instagram with images of his luxurious lifestyle despite being embroiled in corruption cases.We hope you enjoy these and other topics in this latest edition of Weekend Reads.Bolton Silence Hangs Over Impeachment Inquiry as Threat to TrumpDonald Trump's former national security adviser, John Bolton, is likely to be called as a witness in the intensifying impeachment inquiry, and no one can be sure what he'll say. Justin Sink looks at Bolton's acrimonious departure from Trump's administration and whether he'll feel free to speak out if he's subpoenaed.Also, see how well you know your 2020 candidates with our quiz: Which Campaign Did It: Trump 2016 or Warren 2020?The Stock Market Has a Lot of Money Riding on the 2020 ElectionMarkets have become inextricably entwined with American politics since 2016. Michael P. Regan explains how that's intensifying as investors grapple with Trump's trade war, his potential impeachment and Democratic challengers who may upend the status quo.Trump's Claim He Boosted Incomes $7,000 Differs From Actual DataTrump boasted that U.S. incomes have skyrocketed during his presidency. But that claim isn't supported by data, and as Katia Dmitrieva, Reade Pickert and Jordan Fabian report, inflation-adjusted median income rose just a fifth of what Trump says it did.Johnson and Macron: The Odd Couple Determined to Get Brexit DoneWhen Boris Johnson first coined his slogan "Get Brexit Done," the president of France probably didn't top of the list of people he thought he could turn to for help. But as Ian Wishart lays out, he and Emmanuel Macron are forming an informal bond over getting Britain out of the EU sooner rather than later.Read more: Boris Johnson's Double Gamble on an Unpredictable U.K. ElectionJust Miles From Trump's Scottish Golf Course Is a Refugee OasisIn Inverurie, an Arabic-language program is just one sign of Scotland's open-door approach to refugees from Syria. And as Caroline Alexander writes, it also bolsters the country's narrative that it has diverged from larger neighbor England in the era of Brexit.Tell us how we're doing or what we're missing at balancepower@bloomberg.net.Hong Kong Police Already Have AI Tech That Can Recognize FacesLaw enforcement in the Asian financial hub has had access to software that can match faces from any video footage to police databases. Blake Schmidt explores the question of whether it's now being used to quell months-long pro-democracy protests. Fears Are Growing Among Mainland Chinese Living in Hong Kong As protests become increasingly violent, mainland Chinese in Hong Kong are becoming increasingly fearful. Bei Hu, Alfred Cang and Alfred Liu explain how the escalation prompted one fund manager take precautions, including telling his kids not to speak Mandarin in public.The Man Who Would Be Argentina's President Terrifies InvestorsAlberto Fernandez's march to the threshold of Argentina's presidency began in the upstairs room of a Buenos Aires bar. Patrick Gillespie and Jorgelina do Rosario tell how he strategized to unite Peronism, the movement that favors workers over business, to make him a favorite in Sunday's election.Click here to read how Argentines are preparing for a swing from free market to protectionism And here to read about them pulling dollar deposits from banksBoeing's Long Recovery From the 737 Max DebacleAfter grounding Boeing 737 Max fleets for most of 2019, airlines expect to resume flying the once-hot-selling plane next year. Justin Bachman and Mary Schlangenstein look into whether whether travelers will be nervous about flying in a plane involved in two fatal crashes.And finally … Teddy Obiang, the son of a West African dictator, enjoys the finer things in life, a point made clear by the growing list of assets including mansions, supercars and luxury watches that authorities have seized from him. Emma Vickers reports how that hasn't stopped him from showcasing his latest prized possessions and adventurous exploits on Instagram. To contact the author of this story: Michael Winfrey in Prague at mwinfrey@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: Karl Maier at kmaier2@bloomberg.netFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| UK ministers deny plan to weaken workers' rights after Brexit Posted: 26 Oct 2019 03:52 AM PDT ![UK ministers deny plan to weaken workers' rights after Brexit]( "UK ministers deny plan to weaken workers' rights after Brexit") Britain's government denied a newspaper report on Saturday that it will seek to weaken workers' rights after Britain leaves the European Union, with one minister describing the idea as "completely mad". The Financial Times published extracts of leaked documents from the government's Brexit ministry which state that a so-called "level playing field" commitment to the EU "leaves room for interpretation".
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| Russian Agent Butina Returns Home After U.S. Prison Sentence Posted: 26 Oct 2019 03:30 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Maria Butina, a Russian who was freed after serving a U.S. prison sentence for failing to register as an agent of a foreign government, arrived in Moscow and thanked diplomats and groups who supported her."Russians don't give up," she said in a brief statement at the airport, accompanied by her father and Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.A phalanx of TV cameras awaited her, but she didn't take questions after making the brief statement. President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet her, the Kremlin said on Friday.Butina, a self-styled gun-rights activist who befriended senior officials from the National Rifle Association and the Republican party in the run-up to the 2016 election, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Russia described Butina as a political prisoner and victim of provocation by U.S. special services.\--With assistance from Anatoly Medetsky.To contact the reporter on this story: Gregory L. White in Moscow at gwhite64@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Lynn Thomasson at lthomasson@bloomberg.net, Sara Marley, Jon MenonFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Germany's SPD members vote on new leader, will decide fate of Merkel's coalition Posted: 26 Oct 2019 02:25 AM PDT ![Germany's SPD members vote on new leader, will decide fate of Merkel's coalition]( "Germany's SPD members vote on new leader, will decide fate of Merkel's coalition") Germany's Social Democrats are due on Saturday to announce the result of a membership vote on a new leader who will decide whether to exit a loveless coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives. The SPD will announce the result of the ballot of its 426,000 members at around 6 p.m. (1600 GMT). The new leader will take over Germany's oldest party at a time of turmoil.
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| Why Emmanuel Macron Is Right About Brexit Posted: 25 Oct 2019 11:00 PM PDT ![Why Emmanuel Macron Is Right About Brexit]( "Why Emmanuel Macron Is Right About Brexit") (Bloomberg Opinion) -- In March 2017, as the U.K. prepared to notify the European Union of its intention to leave, the French newspaper Liberation splashed a picture of a traditional British Queen's Guard on its front page with the headline: "Brexit: We already miss you!" Just below was the qualifier: "Or not."That pretty much sums up France's attitude toward Brexit Britain. It's happy to get rid of a stubborn obstacle to closer European integration, but wary too about pushing away a big bilateral partner in trade, defense, security and financial services — and damaging its own and Europe's economy in the process.This ambivalence was evident again this week as President Emmanuel Macron dug in his heels over delaying the Brexit deadline for the third time this year. He might not truly be ready to chuck the U.K. overboard with a no-deal Brexit, but you can see why his patience is running out.While technically this is a behind-the-scenes diplomatic spat at the EU rather than a public showdown between its leaders, the message was clear: Whereas most of the bloc wants to extend the Oct. 31 deadline by three months to give the Brits more time to break their parliamentary gridlock and avoid a no-deal scenario, France does not. It would prefer a one-month delay to maintain the pressure on British lawmakers to pass Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal.Clearly Macron still wants the U.K. to leave on an amicable basis, and for the EU to stay united along the way. This all seemed possible while Johnson's deal and that of his predecessor Theresa May were being thrashed out in Brussels negotiating rooms, thanks to the efforts of the EU's negotiator Michel Barnier. But once those deals are sent for approval by Britain's dysfunctional Parliament, they enter a kind of eternal hell that threatens to consume the EU as well.When the House of Commons rejected May's deal, the EU blinked and granted a short delay, which solved nothing. So in April it tried a long delay, and ended up with the arch-Brexiter Johnson in Downing Street. Johnson spent months trying to divide EU member states in order to win concessions, before giving up and accepting a more realistic deal acceptable to Brussels. This one even managed to secure a majority in Parliament. Yet still it's not enough.In summary, Parliament wants time to properly scrutinize Johnson's deal, which seems fair enough given its complexity and its not entirely convincing "solution" to the Irish border question. But Johnson fears, also reasonably, that many members of Parliament just want the chance to take his Withdrawal Agreement Bill and "amend it to death."Because of those fears Johnson wants an election, which he's sure he would win and which would give him the parliamentary numbers to pass his deal. The only problem is that he needs the support of opposition Labour Party MPs to get an election, and they don't want to give him one because they too think he would win. The result: more stasis. You can almost hear the groans from the Elysee Palace.Macron is in the strange position now of being Johnson's best hope to apply pressure on his Westminster foes. But the more pressing fear for the French president is that the more time the EU grants, the more likely it is that the Brits do nothing with it. Experience is certainly bearing him out. A short delay of one month might force the various factions in Parliament to get the deal through. And, if that doesn't work, it would push Labour to accept an election or to force through another referendum for fear of a no-deal Brexit. Otherwise, limbo awaits.It's not clear how far Macron will take this standoff. It's hard to play brinkmanship if everyone knows you don't really want no deal. But the role of Brexit bad cop performs a function: to stop the U.K. from feeling comfortable in its half-in, half-out state. The danger for the Brits is that at some point the EU will have to choose whether its own smooth-running is worth sacrificing to avoid no deal. Macron's bad cop might yet become an executioner.To contact the author of this story: Lionel Laurent at llaurent2@bloomberg.netTo contact the editor responsible for this story: James Boxell at jboxell@bloomberg.netThis column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Brussels. He previously worked at Reuters and Forbes.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
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| Northern Ireland's DUP grabs spotlight in Brexit showdown Posted: 25 Oct 2019 07:22 PM PDT  Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party has been at the heart of Britain's Brexit saga, and its annual conference Saturday will see it try to maintain its prominent role. Once a fringe faction in parliament, Brexit has given the DUP added importance, with the party holding key votes that could have helped Conservative parliamentary allies and their Prime Minister Boris Johnson pass the EU withdrawal deal.
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