Merkel says Juncker can be approved with ‘qualified majority’ | EurActiv
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday (2 June) she was pressing fellow EU leaders to back Jean-Claude Juncker for the post of European Commission president, but also noted it could be pushed through without the backing of all.
Speaking at a news conference with the visiting prime minister of Georgia, Merkel stressed that Juncker, former prime minister of Luxembourg, could be approved in the European Council, which groups all 28 EU leaders, with a "qualified majority".
Under rules in place until November this year, opponents of Juncker, led by Britain's David Cameron, would need the support of countries representing 38 percent of the population of the European Union to block him.
No one expects it to come to a vote. But Merkel's mention of the procedure could be interpreted as a subtle warning to those who oppose Juncker, the declared candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), the largest grouping in the new European Parliament.
http://www.euractiv.com/sections/eu-elections-2014/merkel-says-juncker-can-be-approved-qualified-majority-302548#.U415fCiUFss.facebook
Cameron greets Merkel. London, February 2014. [Number 10/Flickr]
