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'Drunk' EU chief Juncker face slaps world leaders at summit in resurfaced viral video | |
(6 months later) | |
A video of Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President, in a strangely boisterous mood at an EU summit last year has provoked a belated social media storm, weeks before Britain votes on whether to stay in the union. | A video of Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President, in a strangely boisterous mood at an EU summit last year has provoked a belated social media storm, weeks before Britain votes on whether to stay in the union. |
The footage showing Juncker’s unorthodox diplomacy was shot during the EU-Eastern Partnership summit, which was held on May 21-22, 2015 in Latvia. While it was posted last year, it has been rapidly gathering views and media coverage in the past few days. | The footage showing Juncker’s unorthodox diplomacy was shot during the EU-Eastern Partnership summit, which was held on May 21-22, 2015 in Latvia. While it was posted last year, it has been rapidly gathering views and media coverage in the past few days. |
Standing in front of the cameras alongside fellow EU official Donald Tusk, who heads the European Council, and the host nation’s prime minister, Laimdota Straujuma, Juncker made a number of friendly gestures which may seem too frivolous for the occasion. | Standing in front of the cameras alongside fellow EU official Donald Tusk, who heads the European Council, and the host nation’s prime minister, Laimdota Straujuma, Juncker made a number of friendly gestures which may seem too frivolous for the occasion. |
He slapped several fellow leaders on the face, according to a video of the event published last week, and kissed some on the cheek. Another guest he asked to bow so that he could kiss his balding head. | He slapped several fellow leaders on the face, according to a video of the event published last week, and kissed some on the cheek. Another guest he asked to bow so that he could kiss his balding head. |
With two male delegates, Juncker compared the color of their ties. He also jokingly reproached Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for not wearing one. | |
Juncker greeted Spanish Foreign Minister José García-Margallo y Marfil with a military salute. The perplexed politician, who has no military background, awkwardly returned the compliment. | |
Earlier media reports mentioned Juncker’s cheery disposition at the media conference, buy they focused on the way he introduced the approaching Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban with the words: “The dictator is coming.” Orban is known for his Eurosceptic views and is accused of attacking democratic values by critics. | |
The EU official has long been speculated to be a heavy drinker and previously demonstrated off behavior in public. At the time of his nomination in 2014, the Financial Times joked: “Perhaps the next EU President could have one of those slogans on the office wall – ‘You don’t have to be drunk to work here, but it helps.’” | The EU official has long been speculated to be a heavy drinker and previously demonstrated off behavior in public. At the time of his nomination in 2014, the Financial Times joked: “Perhaps the next EU President could have one of those slogans on the office wall – ‘You don’t have to be drunk to work here, but it helps.’” |