Growing Calls for Jean-Claude Juncker Resignation

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bloomberg, the financial newswire, says Mr Juncker 'needs to go' and has been 'foisted on' the countries of the EU

There were growing calls for Jean-Claude Juncker to resign as President of the European Commission last night amid allegations that he presided over potentially illegal tax breaks given to multinational companies operating in Luxembourg.

Bloomberg, the influential financial newswire, devoted its editorial to a call for Mr Juncker’s resignation over revelations multinational companies were allegedly allowed to create complicated structures to avoid billions of pounds of tax when he was Prime Minister of the country.

It follows outrage from Conservatives MPs who see him an arch-federalist who believes in an "ever-closer" European Union, who will make it more difficult for David Cameron to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with Brussels before holding an in-out referendum in 2017 over his appointment.

The editorial, entitled “Jean-Claude Juncker Needs to Go”, describes Mr Juncker as a “bad choice for the job” who has been “foisted on the bloc's 28 national governments by a European Parliament eager to expand its powers.”

The editors of the financial wire say it is now “becoming clear now just how poor a decision” the appointment of Mr Juncker was after details emerged of revelations of potentially illegal tax breaks given to multinationals in Luxembourg, of which he was prime minister for almost 20 years. » | Georgia Graham, Political Correspondent | Monday, November 10, 2014

'You Don't Frighten Me': Jean-Claude Juncker Taunts David Cameron

Jean-Claude Juncker this week began his five[-]term as
president of the European Commission

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Jean-Claude Juncker has taunted David Cameron, boasting that the British leader does not scare him and mocked the Prime Minister for failing to win his battles with the European Union

Speaking after the first weekly meeting of his new Brussels administration, the president of the European Commission bragged that he was “not the type who trembles, in front of prime ministers or at any other time”.

“I'm not frightened of any prime ministers,” he said. The Conservative leader was humiliated at a summit in July when he tried to stop Mr Juncker, a passionate federalist, from becoming president of the commission.

Mr Cameron was out-voted, after being betrayed by the German Chancellor and Mr Juncker was installed in the commission, taking up his new post this week.

He was then slapped down by Angela Merkel, again, and left isolated at another summit two weeks ago when angrily refusing a commission demand that Britain paid an extra £1.7 billion surcharge to the EU budget.

Chancellor Merkel, with French support and backing from a majority of other EU leaders, told him to pay the bill.

“I don't have a problem with David Cameron. He has problem with the other prime ministers,” boasted Mr Juncker on Wednesday.

Britain faces humiliation over the budget demand after Mr Cameron told MPs that he would refuse to pay the full amount or meet a December 1 payment deadline.

A meeting of EU finance ministers on Friday is expected to tell George Osborne, the Chancellor, that he must hand over the full surcharge to the Brussels budget. In a concession, billed by EU officials as a compromise but unlikely to satisfy Tories, Britain will be allowed to pay the £1.7bilion in instalments. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Wednesday, November 05, 2014

Juncker Would Let Britain Take Back Powers While Staying In EU – Report

Jean-Claude Juncker would let Britain take back powers from
the EU without leaving the union, according to leaked comments.

THE GUARDIAN: Next president of European commission says EU needs UK and Westminster can negotiate a 'recovery of competences'

Jean-Claude Juncker has insisted he will not seek to block British efforts to claw back powers from Brussels despite David Cameron's failed bid to prevent him becoming president of the European commission.

Juncker said any proposals from Westminster would be "taken under consideration", stressing that he wanted the UK to stay in the EU.

The comments could provide some reassurance to Cameron, who had warned fellow European leaders that installing the former Luxembourg premier in the key post risked scotching attempts to reform.

The prime minister has pledged a renegotiation of Britain's membership terms followed by an in-out referendum in 2017 if the Tories are in power.

According to a leaked recording reported in the Daily Telegraph, Juncker told MEPs at a meeting in Brussels: "I would like Britain to stay as an active constructive member of the European Union. If Britain puts forward a proposal it will be taken under consideration.

"I am not in principle saying that no kind of repatriation can take place. If Westminster wants to recover competences, OK. If the others agree it shall be done." Read on and comment » | Agencies in London | Wednesday, July 09, 2014

Cameron Kicked EU's Van Rompuy Out of Number 10 after Furious Row over Staging a Vote on Who Gets Brussels Job

The two men clashed after Mr van Rompuy refused to guarantee
allowing a vote on the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker
as President of the European Commission

MAIL ONLINE: Prime Minister called a halt to high level talks about Jean-Claude Juncker / Van Rompuy refused to guarantee a vote, so Cameron showed him the door / In a rare more, Downing Street confirms the meeting ended early / Only Hungary backed Cameron in voting against' Juncker's appointment

Furious David Cameron kicked EU president Herman van Rompuy out of Downing Street after clashing over Brussels jobs, Downing Street confirmed today.

The Prime Minister called a dramatic halt to talks on making Jean-Claude Juncker the new President of the European Commission.

When Mr van Rompuy refused to guarantee a vote of all 28 EU leaders, Mr Cameron declared there is ‘no point in continuing this meeting’ and showed him the door.

Moments after the extraordinary snub, Mr van Rompuy left Number 10, saying nothing to waiting reporters.

The meeting was held ahead of a summit on Friday, where Mr Cameron was to argue against giving Mr Juncker the job. » | Matt Chorley, MailOnline Political Editor | Monday, June 30, 2014

La Grande-Bretagne pourrait-elle sortir de l'UE ?

David Cameron, le 27 juin à Bruxelles.

LE POINT: Après la bataille perdue par Cameron contre Juncker, les risques que les Britanniques décident de sortir de l'Union européenne sont accrus.

Pour les experts, la bataille perdue de David Cameron contre Jean-Claude Juncker à la présidence de la Commission européenne accroît les risques que les Britanniques décident de sortir de l'UE, si leur Premier ministre ne remporte pas de succès dans sa quête d'une Union réformée. Le dirigeant conservateur, qui s'est engagé s'il était réélu en 2015 à organiser un référendum sur l'appartenance de son pays à l'UE en 2017 après avoir obtenu de Bruxelles des compétences rapatriées et des réformes, a reconnu lui-même que la tâche de maintenir son pays dans l'UE était désormais plus compliquée.

Ses opposants politiques se sont empressés de souligner l'"humiliation" subie et son "isolement". Mais au Royaume-Uni, pays dont le traditionnel euroscepticisme a atteint de nouveaux sommets avec la victoire de l'Ukip europhobe aux élections européennes de mai, les principaux partis étaient unanimes dans leur opposition à Juncker, vu comme trop fédéraliste. Et quelque 43 % des électeurs estimaient que David Cameron avait raison d'essayer de bloquer la nomination de l'ex-Premier ministre luxembourgeois, seuls 13 % le désavouant, selon un sondage Financial Times/Populus publié cette semaine. » | Source AFP | samedi 28 juin 2014

Camerons gefährlicher Kurs: Gegen die Wand

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Auch die Bundeskanzlerin hatte am Ende die Nase voll von Camerons Drohungen bei der Personalie Juncker: Wenn jetzt der britische Auszug aus der EU näher rückt, dann hat der „Meistertaktierer“ seinen Anteil daran.

Mit der Auffassung, Jean-Claude Juncker sei der Falsche an der Spitze der Europäischen Kommission, blieb der britische Premierminister Cameron im Ergebnis fast ganz allein. Die große Mehrheit der Staats- und Regierungschefs – nicht alle sind Juncker-Fans – stützte den früheren luxemburgischen Ministerpräsidenten, was immer ihre politischen, taktischen oder strategischen Erwägungen gewesen sein mögen.

Im Ergebnis war Großbritannien wieder isoliert, und es lag auch an Camerons Vorgehen, das, wenigstens zum Teil, das Gegenteil dessen bewirkte, was er erreichen wollte. Auch die britischen Anliegen gegenüber aufgeschlossene Bundeskanzlerin hatte am Ende die Nase voll von Camerons Drohungen. Wenn jetzt der britische Auszug aus der EU näher rückt – was weder im deutschen noch im europäischen, noch im britischen Interesse sein kann –, dann hat der „Meistertaktierer“ Cameron seinen Anteil daran. » | Von Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger | Redakteur für Außenpolitik | Freitag, 27. Juni 2014

A Defeat - and a Disaster

THE INDEPENDENT – EDITORIAL: David Cameron’s handling of Jean-Claude Juncker has helped to create the worst of all possible EU worlds

It was a defeat long foretold, but that does not diminish the scale of the debacle David Cameron suffered in Ypres last night. His tone afterwards was self-righteous: his fellow leaders would “live to regret” their support for Jean-Claude Juncker as the President of the European Commission, which was “a sad moment for Europe”. But his abject failure to halt the Juncker juggernaut, which gained the support of 26 out of 28 leaders, was an even sadder moment for Mr Cameron himself, and for Britain.

The candidacy of Mr Juncker, the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, aroused enthusiasm among very few, even in the upper ranks of the Eurocrats. He is a walking, talking symbol of all that is out of date and out of touch about the union as currently constituted, and he was not even favoured by Angela Merkel, who was unimpressed by his handling of the euro crisis. But in a spectacular display of political miscalculation, Mr Cameron converted that indifference and dislike into reluctant but almost total support, painting himself into a corner which in the end he shared only with Viktor Orban, the authoritarian Prime Minister of Hungary.

As Labour’s shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander, pointed out earlier this week, Mr Cameron had made the mistake of “playing the man, not the ball” over Mr Juncker’s appointment, taking an aggressively personal tone against a figure who is immensely well knitted into conservative forces across the bloc. Read on and comment » | Editorial | Friday, June 27, 2014

Juncker ist mehr als ein symbolischer Erfolg für das EU-Parlament

Jean-Claude Juncker, der verstockte Raucher aus Luxemburg, ist Europäer aus Leidenschaft »

Juncker Named as European Commission President, as Cameron Warns EU Could 'Regret' It

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron has failed in his attempt to block the nomination of arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker as the next president of the European Commission

David Cameron’s bid to block Jean-Claude Juncker has ended in defeat after the arch-federalist was nominated as the next president of the European Commission.

Mr Juncker was confirmed as the official nominee at the end of a tense lunch in Brussels during which Mr Cameron told EU leaders they could “live to regret” their decision.

"This is a sad day for Europe," Mr Cameron is understood to have told his counterparts.

Herman Van Rompuy, the current president, said: “Decision made. The European Council proposes Jean-Claude Juncker as the next President of the European Commission.”

The Prime Minister has warned European leaders including Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, that it could push Britain towards EU exit. » | Peter Dominiczak, Assistant Political Editor, in Brussels | Friday, June 27, 2014

Juncker wird nächster EU-Kommissionspräsident »

Jean-Claude Juncker, l'insubmersible »

Cameron Tells EU It May Live To Regret Jean-Claude Juncker Appointment

David Cameron talks to current European commission president,
José Manuel Barroso at the EU summit in Brussels

THE GUARDIAN: Prime minister says 'railroading through' candidate for European commission will have grave impact on British public opinion

David Cameron has told EU leaders they may live to regret the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European commission, warning them of the grave consequences on public opinion in Britain.

The British prime minister, who told EU leaders that the appointment of Juncker marked a "sad moment", tweeted his frustrations from the summit in Brussels.

"I've told EU leaders they could live to regret the new process for choosing the Commission President. I'll always stand up for UK interests."

In some of the strongest remarks by a British prime minister at an EU summit, Cameron condemned a "backroom deal" to appoint Juncker, who was being "railroaded" through against the wishes of two EU member states; Britain and Hungary.

Cameron, who warned of "wafer thin" support for the EU in Britain, told EU leaders over lunch at their summit in Brussels: "[Jean-Claude Juncker] is the ultimate Brussels insider who has been at the table for the last two decades of decisions. If you want change is that the type of person you want for the future?"

The prime minister indicated that Juncker's appointment would increase support for a British exit from the EU. His warnings came as Ed Miliband said Cameron was facing "utter humiliation" over the issue. » | Nicholas Watt and Ian Traynor in Brussels | Friday, June 27, 2014

Commission Crusade: Cameron Outmaneuvered in Battle over Juncker

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: British Prime Minister David Cameron is determined not to let Jean-Claude Juncker become president of the European Commission. But he is increasingly isolated. He might face his Waterloo as early as next week.

Reading the newspaper hasn't been particularly pleasurable for Jean-Claude Juncker in recent days. First, British historian Timothy Garton Ash compared him to King Louis the XVI, who was executed by the guillotine. Then, the Swiss paper Weltwoche lumped him together with Hitler and Mussolini and the British tabloid Sun described him as "the most dangerous man in Europe."

Juncker had suspected that the British press in particular would go on the attack against him, but he recently had to summon the police after paparazzi climbed over a fence into his property. Furthermore, his 90-year-old father burst into tears when a tabloid accused him of Nazi association. (The older Juncker was forceably recruited into the Wehrmacht following the occupation of Luxembourg.)

The situation is a delicate one: British Prime Minister David Cameron continues to categorically reject Juncker as the next president of the European Commission. Yet a majority in the European Parliament supports the former Luxembourg prime minister. The European Council, made up of EU heads of state and government, has the power of nomination, but the body is divided. » | SPIEGEL Staff | Thursday, June 19, 2014

Cameron Calls On European Leaders to Publicly Back His Battle against Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker at the Luxembourg Chamber of Deputies

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prime Minister urges his fellow leaders to express their 'interesting' views on European Commission presidential candidate Jean-Claude Juncker in public

David Cameron has hit out at European leaders who have failed to support him publicly in his efforts to block Jean-Claude Juncker becoming president of the European Commission.

In an apparent rebuke to Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, Mr Cameron suggested that European leaders have expressed scepticism in private about Mr Juncker’s appointment but have failed to nail their colours to the mast in public.

Mrs Merkel is thought to be pressing for Mr Juncker's appointment to be confirmed at a meeting of the European Council at the end of next week.

Downing Street believes that Mr Juncker, an arch-federalist, will make it more difficult for Mr Cameron to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with Brussels before holding an in-out referendum in 2017. The Prime Minister has previously warned that he could increase the chances of Britain leaving the EU.

This morning the Prime Minister made an eleventh hour call to the Matteo Renzi, the Italian Prime Minister who’s support is key to Mr Cameron’s effort to gather a blocking minority in the Commission’s voting system.

However there are fears that the Italian Prime Minister will decide to support Mr Juncker in return for concessions from European heavyweights of France and Germany.

Britain’s allies - including Sweden, the Netherlands and Hungary - are too small to meet the veto threshold. » | Georgia Graham, Political Correspondent | Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Streit um EU-Kommissions-Chefposten: Cameron giftet gegen Juncker

SPIEGEL ONLINE: "Juncker wurde von niemandem gewählt": Im Machtkampf um den künftigen Chef der EU-Kommission greift Großbritanniens Premier Cameron den konservativen Spitzenkandidaten in der "Süddeutschen" scharf an.

Berlin - Neue Verbalattacke von David Cameron: Im Streit um die Wahl des neuen EU-Kommissionschefs wettert der britische Premier gegen den vom EU-Parlament favorisierten Christdemokraten Jean-Claude Juncker. "Juncker kandidierte nirgendwo und wurde von niemandem gewählt", schreibt Cameron in einem Beitrag für die "Süddeutsche Zeitung". "Die Bürger, die zur Wahl gingen, wollten ihren Europaabgeordneten wählen, nicht den Kommissionspräsidenten." » | mxw/AFP/dpa | Donnerstag, 12. Juni 2014

Don't Threaten Me Over Juncker Appointment, Angela Merkel Warns David Cameron

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: German Chancellor issues public rebuke to Cameron over threat to quit EU if arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker gets top job

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, has warned David Cameron not to "threaten" her over the appointment of an arch-federalist as President of the European Commission.

Mr Cameron has warned that the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker could make Britain more likely to leave the European Union in a referendum in 2017.

Mrs Merkel said that "threats" went against the "European spirit" and as she gave her public support for Mr Juncker, the former President of Luxembourg.

Mr Cameron said that if Europe fails to heed his calls to reform it will be "unhelpful" ahead of his pledged referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union in 2017.

He believes that the appointment of Mr Juncker, the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, will damage his attempts to convince the British public that Europe should stay in the EU. » | Steven Swinford, Senior Political Correspondent, in Harpsand, Sweden | Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Regierungserklärung: Merkel will Großbritannien unbedingt in der EU halten

Merkel im Bundestag: Verdienste Großbritanniens für Frieden in Europa

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Der Streit über die Personalie Juncker belastet das Verhältnis zwischen Brüssel und London, nun stellt Kanzlerin Merkel klar: Großbritannien soll auf jeden Fall in der EU bleiben. An Juncker als künftigen Kommissionspräsidenten hält sie aber fest.

Berlin - "Es ist alles andere als gleichgültig, ob Großbritannien in der Europäischen Union bleibt." Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel hat bei ihrer Regierungserklärung in Berlin deutlich gemacht, dass sie das Land unbedingt in der EU halten will.

Der britische Premier David Cameron hatte im Streit um den künftigen EU-Kommissionspräsidenten mit einem Austritt seines Landes gedroht. Er hatte nach SPIEGEL-Informationen zu verstehen gegeben, die Ernennung Jean-Claude Junckers mache es wahrscheinlicher, dass die Briten beim EU-Referendum 2017 gegen die EU stimmten.

Angesichts der Verdienste Großbritanniens für die europäische Einigung könne ein Austritt des Landes nicht leichtfertig hingenommen werden, sagte nun Merkel im Bundestag. Sie erinnerte an eine Rede Richard von Weizsäckers vor 30 Jahren, der herausgestellt hatte, dass Großbritannien mit seinem Widerstand gegen den Nationalsozialismus seine Existenz aufs Spiel gesetzt habe, um die Zukunft der europäischen Völker zu retten. » | sun | Mittwoch, 04. Juni 2014

Cameron soll Merkel mit EU-Austritt gedroht haben

Haben Unstimmigkeiten zu verzeichnen: Angela Merkel und David Cameron.

TAGES ANZEIGER: Die Besetzung des Spitzenpostens der Europäischen Union macht den Regierungschefs zu schaffen. Grossbritannien will sich nicht mit Jean-Claude Juncker abfinden – offenbar aus innenpolitischen Gründen.

Der britische Premier David Cameron hat laut dem deutschen Nachrichtenmagazin «Der Spiegel» beim EU-Gipfel am vergangenen Dienstag unter anderem Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel mit der Warnung unter Druck gesetzt, er könne bei einem Mehrheitsvotum der Staats- und Regierungschefs für Jean-Claude Junker als neuem EU-Kommissionschef den Verbleib Grossbritanniens in der EU nicht länger garantieren.

Nach Angaben aus Teilnehmerkreisen machte Cameron am Rande des Treffens deutlich, ein solches Votum könne seine Regierung derart destabilisieren,dass ein Austrittsreferendum vorgezogen werden müsste. Dieses werde mit grosser Wahrscheinlichkeit zu einem Nein der Briten zur EU-Mitgliedschaft führen werde. » | Samstag, 31. Mai 2014

Merkel Backs Jean-Claude Juncker for European Commission President

THE GUARDIAN: Move deals blow to David Cameron's attempts to block Luxembourg's former prime minister from taking up the role

Angela Merkel has thrown her weight behind Jean-Claude Juncker for the next European commission leader, dealing a blow to David Cameron's attempts to block Luxembourg's former prime minister from taking up the role.

The German chancellor said at the National Catholic Congress in Regensburg: "I will now lead all negotiations in the spirit that Jean-Claude Juncker should become president of the European commission."

Both Merkel and Juncker's parties are members of the European People's party (EPP) bloc, the centre-right group that gained the most seats in Sunday's European parliament elections.

David Cameron, whose Conservative party left the EPP in 2009, as well as Hungary and Sweden's prime ministers have opposed Juncker, lobbying for a more reformist candidate. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Friday, May 30, 2014


Merkel spricht sich klar für Juncker aus »

Jean-Claude Juncker Interview: 'The Demons Haven't Been Banished'

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: In an interview, Luxembourg prime minister and former Euro Group chief Jean-Claude Juncker, 58, urges other EU countries to push ahead with structural reforms, explains why he sees parallels between 2013 and the year preceeding World War I and throws his election support behind Angela Merkel's re-election campaign.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Prime Minister, it has been seven weeks since you stepped down as head of the Euro Group. Do you sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and think: I absolutely have to give another interview on the euro crisis? Juncker: No, I'm not suffering from withdrawal symptoms. I would say that I have a balanced state of mind. My life is less hectic and I'm calmer and more relaxed.

SPIEGEL: For eight years, you were a kind of informal president of the monetary union. When you take stock of your accomplishments during this period, don't you have to admit that Europe has tended to drift apart rather than become more close-knit?

Juncker: For my generation, the monetary union has always been about forging peace. Today, I notice with a certain sense of regret that far too many Europeans are returning to a regional and national mindset. SPIEGEL: What do you mean by that? » | Translated from the German by Paul Cohen | Monday, March 11, 2013

Verwandt »

Euro-Krise: Juncker spricht von Kriegsgefahr in Europa

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Drastische Warnung des Ex-Euro-Gruppenchefs: Jean-Claude Juncker sagte dem SPIEGEL, die Konflikte in Europa könnten sich gefährlich zuspitzen. "Wer glaubt, dass sich die Frage von Krieg und Frieden nie mehr stellt, könnte sich gewaltig irren."

Hamburg - Luxemburgs Premierminister Jean-Claude Juncker will im Bundestagswahlkampf dafür werben, dass Angela Merkel Kanzlerin bleibt. "Man hat mich bereits gebeten, und ich habe bereits zugesagt", verriet Juncker in einem SPIEGEL-Interview. "Ich fühle mich der Kanzlerin und der CDU sehr verbunden." Er habe zwar auch schon auf Veranstaltungen der SPD und der Grünen geredet, habe aber nicht vor, den Wahlkampf der Sozialdemokraten und der Grünen zu animieren.

In der Debatte um die Zukunft der Währungsunion warnte Juncker im SPIEGEL davor, dass sich die Konflikte in Europa gefährlich zuspitzen könnten. "Wer glaubt, dass sich die ewige Frage von Krieg und Frieden in Europa nie mehr stellt, könnte sich gewaltig irren. Die Dämonen sind nicht weg, sie schlafen nur." » | cte | Sonntag, 10. März 2013

Schuldenkrise in der EU: Juncker warnt vor Zerfall der Euro-Zone

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG: "Keine Zeit mehr zu verlieren": Der Vorsitzende der Euro-Gruppe sieht einen entscheidenden Punkt der Schuldenkrise gekommen. Jean-Claude Juncker unterstützt Pläne von EZB-Chef Draghi zum Ankauf von Staatsanleihen - und gibt Deutschland eine Mitschuld an der Krise. Berlin behandle die Euro-Zone "wie eine Filiale". Auch "Geschwätz über den Austritt Griechenlands" sei nicht hilfreich.

Luxemburgs Premier Jean-Claude Juncker warnt vor dem Zerfall der Währungsunion. "Wir sind an einem entscheidenden Punkt angekommen", sagte Juncker der Süddeutschen Zeitung. "Die Welt redet darüber, ob es die Euro-Zone in einigen Monaten noch gibt." Um den Euro zu retten, sei "keine Zeit mehr zu verlieren", fügte der Vorsitzende der Euro-Gruppe, des mächtigen Gremiums der 17 Euro-Finanzminister, hinzu. "Wir müssen jetzt mit allen verfügbaren Mitteln überaus deutlich machen, dass wir fest entschlossen sind, die Finanzstabilität der Währungsgemeinschaft zu gewährleisten." » | Von Cerstin Gammelin und Stefan Kornelius | Sonntag, 29. Juli 2012