The U.K. high court on Thursday ruled that the government can’t trigger negotiations to leave the European Union without a vote from the British parliament.
The news was seen as a blow to Prime Minister Theresa May as she had planned to launch the EU exit process without such a vote. Her government said it would appeal the decision.
The government could as a result have to go through a formal parliamentary approval to trigger the so-called Article 50, which begins a two-year window for exit negotiations.
Some observers immediately expressed hope that the news could lead to a Brexit derailment. But others said with a slight majority of voters having decided in favor of the British exit from the EU this summer, lawmakers would likely back the move if there was a parliamentary vote.
The vote could be stopped in an appeal, on which the country’s supreme court must rule. The pound rose against the dollar following the news.
