Germany aims to fight for a Brexit deal to the last, in cooperation with the other member states of the European Union, Chancellor Angela Merkel says.
All 27 countries would fight to the last day to ensure that Britain did not crash out of the bloc, Merkel said during a conference hosted by the powerful IG Metall trade union in Nuremberg.
The chancellor's comments follow reports from Downing Street in London to the effect that Merkel had this week taken up a new position on the Northern Ireland issue in a phone call with Prime Minister Boris Johnson that made a deal impossible. Berlin denied this.
In the event of a disorderly Brexit, the process should be made as bearable for individuals as possible, Merkel said. "We aim to minimize the negative effects in both countries, even if there is a disorderly exit," she said, advocating visa-free travel and retention of social security and pension rights.
