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Boris Johnson Is the New British Prime Minister. Here's What That Means For Brexit.

undefined and Director of Analysis at RANE

Adriano Bosoni

Director of Analysis at RANE, Stratfor

Jul 23, 2019 | 11:13 GMT

Boris Johnson is the new British prime minister. But that doesn't mean he can or will trigger a no-deal Brexit.

Boris Johnson takes the helm as British prime minister under a promise to make Brexit happen at any cost.

(NEIL HALL-WPA Pool / Getty Images)

Highlights

Boris Johnson's appointment as British prime minister increases the chances of a no-deal Brexit, but the government and Parliament still have plenty of options to avoid a disorderly exit on Oct. 31.
The probability of a no-confidence motion to oust Johnson and try to avoid a hard Brexit will increase as the Brexit deadline approaches.
Unable to bypass Parliament or reach a new Brexit deal with the European Union, Johnson could make the politically risky decision to call an early general election to break the legislative impasse.

Over the past three years, British politicians have tried several strategies to make Brexit happen: calling an early general election, negotiating an unpopular deal with the European Union, holding votes in Parliament over different exit options and asking Brussels to extend the deadline. All of these efforts have failed. Now, the governing Conservative Party has appointed former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson as the new British prime minister, and he has promised to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union on Oct. 31 no matter what. The chances of a hard Brexit have increased now that Johnson is leading the United Kingdom, but a no-deal exit can still be prevented if politicians are willing to consider some radical options. ...

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