European Union divisions over who should succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as the head of the bloc’s executive were brutally exposed at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday night.
In a rare public disagreement, Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron were at loggerheads over the identity of the next European Commission president, and EU leaders were also on a collision course with the European Parliament over the appointment.
Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, emerged as a possible compromise candidate but his chances were ruled out by MEPs, who must back the eventual appointment by a majority.
The deadlock could lead to a constitutional crisis that could paralyse the Brussels machine, if MEPs…