In April 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May requested a general election which was approved in Parliament by a near-unanimous vote. This was shortly after the official commencement of the process of withdrawing from the European Union (Brexit), with May saying that she needed a clear mandate to lead the country through the ensuing negotiations, and hoping to increase her Conservative Party's majority. The 2017 general election was a failure for May, with the Conservative Party losing seats, resulting in a hung parliament.