But the election result meant it was unclear whether her plan to take Britain out of the bloc's single market and customs union could still be pursued.
Within hours of the results being announced, reports suggest May had teamed up with Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).
"Corbyn ran a way better campaign, he got to more places and got more people to come out to his rallies", said Labour supporter Alisa Hall outside the London building where Corbyn's votes were counted.
Opinion polls gave her sky-high personal ratings and her party a runaway lead over the opposition Labour Party.
"Referencing a campaign trail comment she made, he wrote: "'I will be a bloody hard woman to Junker' said May 5 weeks ago.
Perplexed EU leaders, unexpectedly faced with the prospect of dealing with now-shaky British leadership, sought Friday to make sense of the drama, but also made clear that while Britain might be accorded time to regroup, it should not expect an extension of the two-year deadline for the Brexit talks to end.
In a political drama both brutal and surreal, British Prime Minister Theresa May tried Friday to carry on with the business of governing as usual, while her Conservative Party reeled from losing its parliamentary majority and her opponents demanded she resign.
The senior Conservative source blamed the party's over-dependency on the tight messaging demanded by election guru Lynton Crosby for failing to endear May to voters tired of elections and rattled by two militant attacks in as many weeks.
"We are in not quite a political stalemate, but we are in a situation of turmoil just when the Conservative said they wanted stability because of the Brexit debates and Brexit arguments", he added.
"This is a very bad moment for the Conservative Party, and we need to take stock", Conservative lawmaker Anna Soubry said.
"Britain is part of Europe, even if it will no longer be part of the European Union".
Billionaire Moshiri to spearhead Everton’s Italian job
Indeed, it is only by virtue of Falcinelli’s prowess in the final third that Crotone still remains in contention to survive. In Romelu Lukaku, Koeman has a player with the capability of firing Everton to far headier heights than seventh place.
The center-right DUP's 10 seats are enough to give the Conservatives a fragile but workable partnership.
MPs are already said to be sharpening their knives for Mrs Mrs with one describing her as "f****d, and deservedly" for her shocking campaign.
"My understanding is that the DUP, like the Conservative Party, has a shared interest in making sure we have a stable government", he told BBC radio.
"I'm not sure if they really knew what they were voting for, to be honest with you".
May's Conservative Party lost 12 seats but still retained the largest number in the 650-member House of Commons.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said she would insist on gay and lesbian rights, including the right to marry. But few believe she can hang on for more than a few months.
"This government will guide the country through the crucial Brexit talks. and deliver on the will of the British people by taking the United Kingdom out of the European Union", she said after seeking Queen Elizabeth II's approval for the new, hastily cobbled-together arrangement.
The tone of Brexit talks, expected to begin in just 10 days, are now up in the air.
Some fear May's government will have to make concessions to the ultra-conservative DUP, which is opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage and is skeptical about climate change. But rather than head into negotiations right away, May chose to hold the snap election, which meant delaying the planned start of negotiations until June 19.
When asked about her position, he said: "That remains to be seen".
That's likely to please the almost half of British voters who never wanted to leave at all.
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