David Cameron appeared to win the first skirmish in the battle to pick the leader who will shape Europe's future.
During late night talks in Brussels, the Prime Minister made clear he would not back the front runner vying to take the European Union's top job and other leaders agreed they should look around for more candidates.
Jean-Claude Juncker, an EU veteran with federalist ambitions, had arrived in Brussels signalling he wanted immediate official backing to succeed Jose Manuel Barroso as European Commission president later this year.
But the PM indicated he was opposed to the move and sources said there was 'willingness and encouragement' for rivals be found.
A defiant Mr Cameron issued a stark warning to EU counterparts that Brussels is "too big, too bossy, too interfering".
In a thinly-veiled swipe at Mr Juncker, who has been nominated as the candidate of the European People's Party grouping - the block the PM previously pulled the Tories out of over its federalist sympathies - the premier stressed the importance of securing a presidency contender focused on openness and flexibility instead of one bound up in the union's past.
Although Mr Cameron cannot formally veto Mr Juncker it is unlikely that the European Council, made up of the EU's 28 national heads of government, would force through a new president without unanimous backing.
Mr Cameron told reporters: "Europe cannot shrug off theses results. We need an approach that recognises that Europe should concentrate on what matters, on growth and jobs and not try and do so much.
"We need an approach that recognises that Brussels has got too big, too bossy, too interfering. We need more for nation states. It should be nation states wherever possible and Europe only where necessary.
"Of course we need people running these organisations that really understand that and can build a Europe that is about openness, competitiveness and flexibility, not about the past."
Ukip leader Nigel Farage earlier claimed there was "nobody more fanatical about building the United States of Europe" than Mr Juncker and insisted his candidacy has come "just at the moment that the European electors have made it clear they are going in the wrong direction".
The gathering of 28 leaders also focused on the political earthquake which saw Ukip top the polls in Britain, the far-right Front National come first in France and the extreme-left Syriza movement take top spot in Greece.
The Eurosceptic Five Star movement came second in Italy and the anti-euro Alternatives won seven seats in Germany - although broadly pro-European parties still dominate the parliament.
A No 10 source said: "Clearly the leaders around the table want to take the time to ensure they find the right people to drive the change that's needed over the next five years so they've agreed that Van Rompuy should hold further consultations with heads of government."
Herman Van Rompuy is President of the European Council.
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/camerons-victory-eu-boss-235739579.html
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar