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| EU backs Juncker to head Commission in blow to UK | EU backs Juncker to head Commission in blow to UK |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| EU leaders in Brussels have nominated former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker to be president of the European Commission, in a blow to the UK. | EU leaders in Brussels have nominated former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker to be president of the European Commission, in a blow to the UK. |
| Prime Minister David Cameron called it "a serious mistake". "This is going to be a long, tough fight," he said. | Prime Minister David Cameron called it "a serious mistake". "This is going to be a long, tough fight," he said. |
| He had pushed for a vote on Mr Juncker - breaking with tradition - and 26 out of 28 countries backed him. | He had pushed for a vote on Mr Juncker - breaking with tradition - and 26 out of 28 countries backed him. |
| Only Mr Cameron and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban voted against him. Mr Juncker is also likely to win a vote by Euro MPs. | Only Mr Cameron and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban voted against him. Mr Juncker is also likely to win a vote by Euro MPs. |
| It is the most powerful job in Brussels - the Commission drafts EU laws, oversees national budgets, enforces EU treaties and negotiates international trade deals. | It is the most powerful job in Brussels - the Commission drafts EU laws, oversees national budgets, enforces EU treaties and negotiates international trade deals. |
| Mr Cameron believes Mr Juncker is too much in favour of closer political union and might block EU reform. | Mr Cameron believes Mr Juncker is too much in favour of closer political union and might block EU reform. |
| "This is a bad day for Europe... it hands new power to the European Parliament," Mr Cameron said. "This whole process has simply reinforced my conviction that the EU has to change." | "This is a bad day for Europe... it hands new power to the European Parliament," Mr Cameron said. "This whole process has simply reinforced my conviction that the EU has to change." |
| New procedure | New procedure |
| Mr Cameron objected to the way Mr Juncker, a 59-year-old veteran of Brussels deal-making, was put forward. He was lead candidate of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which won last month's European elections. | Mr Cameron objected to the way Mr Juncker, a 59-year-old veteran of Brussels deal-making, was put forward. He was lead candidate of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), which won last month's European elections. |
| "I've told EU leaders they could live to regret the new process for choosing the Commission President," Mr Cameron tweeted after the decision. | "I've told EU leaders they could live to regret the new process for choosing the Commission President," Mr Cameron tweeted after the decision. |
| He told them it was "a sad moment for Europe" and expressed his "disappointment it has reached this point". In the past such appointments were made by the EU leaders - called the European Council - by unanimity. | He told them it was "a sad moment for Europe" and expressed his "disappointment it has reached this point". In the past such appointments were made by the EU leaders - called the European Council - by unanimity. |
| After the vote Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said there would be a review of how the Commission president was nominated - but only after the new Commission team was in place. | After the vote Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said there would be a review of how the Commission president was nominated - but only after the new Commission team was in place. |
| She said Europe was "ready to address British concerns" about its future direction, and that she shared Britain's ideas about what the EU should be like. | |
| The UK Conservatives - who pulled out of the EPP - suspect that the Commission is being politicised in a power grab by the European Parliament. But Mr Juncker's supporters value his record of consensus-building and commitment to EU integration. | The UK Conservatives - who pulled out of the EPP - suspect that the Commission is being politicised in a power grab by the European Parliament. But Mr Juncker's supporters value his record of consensus-building and commitment to EU integration. |
| Under new EU treaty rules the leaders have to take account of the European election result when nominating a Commission chief. The parliament will vote on Mr Juncker in mid-July. | Under new EU treaty rules the leaders have to take account of the European election result when nominating a Commission chief. The parliament will vote on Mr Juncker in mid-July. |
| Mr Cameron's bid to block Mr Juncker suffered a major setback this week when his allies changed tack. | Mr Cameron's bid to block Mr Juncker suffered a major setback this week when his allies changed tack. |
| Chancellor Merkel had given Mr Cameron hope after agreeing to a vote on the issue if there was no consensus. | Chancellor Merkel had given Mr Cameron hope after agreeing to a vote on the issue if there was no consensus. |
| But both the Netherlands and Sweden - normally close to UK positions in Europe - later said they would back Mr Juncker. | But both the Netherlands and Sweden - normally close to UK positions in Europe - later said they would back Mr Juncker. |
| Speaking after the summit, Ms Merkel said there had been "no backroom agreement" but "a very good discussion" on Mr Juncker. | Speaking after the summit, Ms Merkel said there had been "no backroom agreement" but "a very good discussion" on Mr Juncker. |
| In the coming months a new 28-member Commission team - one from each country - will be appointed. The EU will also appoint a new foreign policy chief and new president of the European Council. | In the coming months a new 28-member Commission team - one from each country - will be appointed. The EU will also appoint a new foreign policy chief and new president of the European Council. |
| Jean-Claude Juncker: A man for Europe? | Jean-Claude Juncker: A man for Europe? |
| Arguments for and against Juncker | Arguments for and against Juncker |
| The BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels says many European diplomats feel that Mr Cameron's approach in the EU is too confrontational, going against the grain of consensus decision-making in the union. | The BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels says many European diplomats feel that Mr Cameron's approach in the EU is too confrontational, going against the grain of consensus decision-making in the union. |
| There is speculation that the UK may get a powerful seat on the Commission as a "consolation prize", he says - for example, commissioner for the internal market. | There is speculation that the UK may get a powerful seat on the Commission as a "consolation prize", he says - for example, commissioner for the internal market. |
| Mr Cameron wanted a vote on Mr Juncker so that EU leaders would have to justify their support for him in public. | Mr Cameron wanted a vote on Mr Juncker so that EU leaders would have to justify their support for him in public. |
| Mr Cameron says he is determined to press ahead with renegotiation of Britain's EU membership, followed by an in-or-out referendum in the UK in 2017, if his Conservative Party wins next year's general election. | Mr Cameron says he is determined to press ahead with renegotiation of Britain's EU membership, followed by an in-or-out referendum in the UK in 2017, if his Conservative Party wins next year's general election. |
| But the row over Mr Juncker may make that renegotiation more difficult, observers say. | But the row over Mr Juncker may make that renegotiation more difficult, observers say. |
| Last month anti-EU parties made sweeping gains in European elections. They won nearly a third of the parliamentary seats. | Last month anti-EU parties made sweeping gains in European elections. They won nearly a third of the parliamentary seats. |
| In a landmark move on Friday the summit leaders signed far-reaching trade partnership deals with three former Soviet republics - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. | In a landmark move on Friday the summit leaders signed far-reaching trade partnership deals with three former Soviet republics - Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. |
| Next steps | Next steps |
| 1-3 July - First post-election session of new European Parliament | 1-3 July - First post-election session of new European Parliament |
| 14-17 July - European Parliament votes on nominee for Commission president - expected to back Mr Juncker | 14-17 July - European Parliament votes on nominee for Commission president - expected to back Mr Juncker |
| September - Parliament grills each nominee for 28-member Commission (one from each member state) | September - Parliament grills each nominee for 28-member Commission (one from each member state) |
| October - Parliament votes on new Commission team | October - Parliament votes on new Commission team |
| November - New Commission should take office, as should new EU foreign policy chief and new European Council president. | November - New Commission should take office, as should new EU foreign policy chief and new European Council president. |