Brexit Remains Certain Despite Surprising UK Election Results - Paris

The result of the general election in the UK, albeit surprising, does not call into question the country's choice to exit the EU, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Friday, as exit polls from the general election showed the Conservative Party falling short of an outright majority in the parliament.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — At the moment, the Conservative Party, which had 330 mandates in the previous House of Commons, is leading with 317 seats, the Labour Party stands at 261, the Scottish National Party at 35 and the Liberal Democrats at 12 seats.

"I am not sure that one should interpret the results of this vote as calling into question the position, sovereignty expressed by the British over Brexit," Philippe told the Europe 1 radio station.

The prime minister stressed, however, that the results of the vote with the Tories losing the absolute majority in the parliament came "as a surprise."

On March 29, May triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, officially beginning the country's exit from the European Union. Under the article, the process is to be concluded within two years from the withdrawal launch.