From what I've heard, the public pressure / media tactics are supposedly really annoying to agencies like the CMA and EU, though I could still see the EC tolerating the media circus tactic and approving. CMA are already strong against the deal, if they find this approach really annoying as some have said, MS have an extremely uphill battle convincing them of anything. I wonder if MS are banking on the CMA feeling pressured to approve if the EC do, though I've read about cases where the EC approved a deal but the cma still said no.I've always looked at the sentence as CMA covering their backs, if MS tried to appeal with the argument that CMA didn't give them any other alternatives or a chance. Just reading everything above says it all really, they absolutely do not want behavioural remedies or by itself.
Now we just gotta wait and see how much spine CMA have.
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