Brexit – the end of the road? The ratification of the European Parliament will only ask questions of “what next?” | World news

Almost four months after the Brexit deal entered into force, the European Parliament has the final say.

It may be a rather symbolic word, which hardly makes any difference in the real world, but it will mark the end of a road.

Because when the parliamentary vote is announced to the world at breakfast time on Wednesday, we can finally say that the deal is done. The final asterisk will be removed from the registry.

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You might be excused for thinking it was all done and dusted off four months ago, and you’d be partly right. But, behind the scenes, the Brexit deal has always been the subject of debate.

At the heart of it all is the anger the European Parliament felt at the end of 2020 when it complained of being marginalized by the Brexit negotiating teams.

In fact, there is no doubt that he was – quite clearly – marginalized. And furthermore, aware that the deadline for concluding an agreement had been pushed back further and further, MEPs unfortunately had to accept their fate.

The simple truth was that there was absolutely no way for Parliament to review and ratify the Brexit deal between Christmas Eve, when it was agreed, and New Years Day, when it had to come into force.

The only option left in the European Parliament at this point was to delay approval, allowing various politicians and committees to spend weeks and months wondering if this was really in Europe’s best interest.

And the reality of it all, as a senior …