European Union agrees to delay Brexit date until October 31

London : European Union leaders have agreed to delay its Brexit departure by six months, apparently saving the continent from a chaotic no-deal departure at the end of the week.

If Theresa May accepts the offer then, British voters will be taking part in the European parliamentary elections.

France's President Emmanuel Macron strongly opposed the idea of delaying the Brexit, but most leaders supported the call and the French had to settle for a promise that the delay will be reviewed at an EU summit on June 21.

"EU27 has agreed an extension of Art. 50. I will now meet PM @theresa_may for the UK government's agreement," summit host and EU Council president Donald Tusk tweeted as May returned to the summit to give her verdict on the plan.  

Many of the 27 European leaders held a meeting in Brussels, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, had backed a plan for Brexit to be postponed for up to a year.