Who’s who in the EU power struggle

The battle for Europe’s future pits Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Parliament President Martin Schulz — who want deeper
European integration — against EU heads of state, led by Angela Merkel, who want to repatriate rights from Brussels

Jean-Claude Juncker: Made deal in 2014 with Martin Schulz to ensure greater powers for Brussels

François Hollande: French President supports ever more centralised Europe. Has called for formation of eurozone government to counter growing euroscepticism in France

Marine Le Pen: French Front National leader has threatened “Frexit” if she wins next year’s presidential elections

Robert Fico: Slovakia’s Prime Minister opposes key Brussels policies from migration to employment

Elmar Brok: German CDU member wants deeper European integration

Sigmar Gabriel: German Economy Minister fears that other EU member states may seek to follow British example

Martin Schulz: Wants Commission to become “real European government” with own army and air force

Donald Tusk: European Council President has accused Brussels of trampling on nation states in its obsession for yet more integration

Witold Waszczykowski: Poland’s foreign minister has called for Juncker to resign, as did Czech foreign minister Lubomír Zaorálek

Toomas Ilves: Estonian President described Juncker’s behaviour to Britain as “abominable”

Angela Merkel: German Chancellor believes that Juncker’s appetite for power helped influence British vote to leave EU

Wolfgang Schäuble: German finance minister – long an advocate of closer integration – now wants to shift more policy decision-
making to national governments. Advocates sidestepping European
Commission in Brussels if needed

Matteo Renzi: Italian Prime Minister has clashed with Commission over budget restrictions, labelling it “a technocracy with no soul”. October referendum on constitutional reforms could become a vote on whether or not Italy should stay in eurozone. Renzi opposes
EU’s inflexible bank rules. Italian banks have €360 billion of bad loans – over 20% of GDP

Sources: Spiegel, Welt am Sonntag, Deutsche Welle, Bloomberg, Reuters

Pictures: Associated Press