The Netherlands will back Juncker for president, says prime minister

DutchNews.nl, Wednesday 25 June 2014

Rutte will show its support for Juncker

appear at the EU summit. (NOS/ANP)

The Netherlands supports the candidacy of former Luxemburg premier Jean-Claude Juncker for the presidency of the European Union, prime minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday.

Rutte told parliament he would vote in favour of Juncker at the European summit which starts tomorrow, if it goes to a vote.

Britain’s prime minister David Cameron plans to make a ‘principled case’ against Juncker at the summit and plans to force a vote on his appointment to highlight Britain's opposition.

Biggest party

Juncker is the candidate of the EPP, the main centre-right group in the European parliament, which emerged with the largest number of MEPs in last month's European elections.

Meanwhile, Nos television reports that Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Dutch finance minister and head of the influential Euro group, has admitted apologising to Juncker after calling him an inveterate smoker and drinker in a television broadcast in January.

Dijsselbloem said on Wednesday he had phoned Juncker immediately after the broadcast to apologise.

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