EU leaders are expected to confirm former Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker as the next president of the European Commission, despite opposition from the UK.
Prime Minister David Cameron has said that he will stick to his principles and oppose the appointment as he believes that Juncker favours stronger EU ties and may block the reforms he hopes to make with Britain’s involvement in the economic and political union before an in/out referendum in 2017.
Previously, the Commission president has been appointed by consensus, but Cameron is pushing for an unprecedented vote.
However, other EU leaders have praised Juncker’s ability to find consensus and have complained of the UK’s confrontational tactics, leaving Hungary as Cameron’s only supporter in the negotiations. The UK’s traditional allies in the EU of Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden have all moved away from the UK’s position.
