Driven to drink? Merkel, Macron and other EU leaders enjoy beers and fries after Brexit talks

Fresh from (yet another) round of Brexit talks, a group of EU leaders including Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron hit up a bar for some fries and beer – just like any normal humans would after a stressful day at work.

The German chancellor and French president were joined by Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel and Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel at the fancy Roy D'Espagne brasserie bar in Brussels’ Grand Place.

Of course, given the gravity of the ongoing Brexit talks, there were some unsurprising interruptions from fellow bar-goers, inquiring as to how negotiations were going. But the leaders were not willing to divulge details.

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"Please, it’s a wonderful evening… let’s not spoil it with that!” Merkel reportedly said to one curious inquisitor, according to CNN. Others at the bar managed to capture videos of the four leaders enjoying themselves and, naturally, posted them online.

Asked on Thursday morning if he had enjoyed the night, Bettel told CNN that he had, adding that such post-work meetings were important and that “even though we are politicians, we are also humans.”

“Human relations are sometimes very important, so we were able to discuss the topics we have today and tomorrow and to do a debriefing on yesterday and that was good,” he said.

However, perhaps the cozy meeting was really just an opportunity to let off some steam.

Plans were dropped yesterday to hold a special November summit to solve the Brexit crisis once and for all after British Prime Minister Theresa May offered nothing “substantially new” to the talks, according to European Parliament President Antonio Tajani. The lack of progress has prompted preparations for a ‘no-deal’ Brexit to be kicked into high speed.

Well, at least they can still enjoy themselves amidst the chaos?

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