Some diplomats detect in the letter May sent last month to trigger the two-year countdown to Brexit that she is willing to compromise more than some in her party, to accept more EU authority in return for access to European markets that much of British business wants her to maintain.
"A general election will provide the country with five years of strong and stable leadership to see us through the negotiations and ensure we are able to go on to make a success as a result, and that is crucial".
May wasted no time, going from the vote in Parliament to kick off her campaign with a speech in to supporters northwestern England.
A total of 174 Labour MPs voted in favour of holding an election, meaning dozens appear to have chosen to abstain from voting.
May, who was appointed prime minister after the country voted in favour of Brexit in June previous year, enjoys a large lead in the opinion polls, with 50 percent saying she would be the best prime minister.
Recent opinion polls put the Conservatives about 20 points ahead of Labour, the main opposition party led by Jeremy Corbyn.
Both Labour and Liberal Democrats have officially welcomed the early poll and are expected to back it in Wednesday afternoon's vote.
May's Conservatives now hold 330 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons.
During the exchanges in the House, Corbyn sought to turn the debate to non-Brexit issues such as health, employment, funding cuts and education, while May and her party's focus was on Brexit. If she wanted a mandate, why didn't she call a general election as soon as she became prime minister without anybody having a vote?
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Live TV debates took place for the first time in a United Kingdom general election in 2010, with three clashes between the leaders of the three biggest national parties, Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg.
"I believe this will strengthen our hand in negotiations", May told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday, arguing that opposition parties were "intent on frustrating the Brexit process".
Juncker's spokesman said the election would not delay the start of negotiations, which the Commission's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has previously said would start in early June.
Leaders of European Union states are due to adopt negotiating guidelines at an April 29 summit, and the bloc will prepare detailed plans for the talks with Britain by late May.
An official statement from the broadcaster said: "ITV will hold a leaders' debate as we did in 2010 and 2015".
"If the SNP wins this election in Scotland and the Tories (Conservatives) don't, then Theresa May's attempt to block our mandate to give the people of Scotland a choice over their own future when the time is right will crumble to dust", said Sturgeon, who heads Scotland's devolved government.
May, who has described herself as "not a showy politician", also said she would not take part in television debates before the election, preferring to talk directly to voters.
And Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood - whose profile received a major boost from her involvement in two of the 2015 broadcasts - said: "Theresa May should be empty chaired if she doesn't show up to any planned TV debates".
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