German magazine Der Spiegel has revealed that British Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that the UK could quit the EU if Jean-Claude Juncker becomes the new (unelected) president of the European Commission, the executive body of the EU responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding Union's treaties and day-to-day running of the world's largest economy.
Correspondents say Mr Cameron - who has said that Britain will leave the Union of 506 million people if the EU does not reform - said at an informal EU summit earlier this week that he wanted a reformer to take charge of the EU executive.
Der Spiegel (The Mirror) reported Mr Cameron as saying that the appointment of Juncker - who was the Prime Minister of tiny Luxembourg, the EU's second-smallest member state, between 1995 and 2013 and who, amongst other things, defends the CAP, EU integration and was one of the architects of the disatrous Euro, all of which Britain is against - could destabilise his government, which might bring forward referendum plans on EU membership.
Cameron has promised to give the British people a referendum in 2017 on whether or not Britain should leave the EU should he win next year's General Election - although Ed Miliband's Labour Party is also under pressure to promise one if they win the General Election after Ukip's victory in the EU elections.
Mr Juncker's European People's Party (EPP) is a grouping of centre-right parties in the EU Parliament and it won the largest number of seats in the EU parliament in the May polls. The EPP, which also includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats but doesn't include any British political party, won 213 out of 751 seats in the Parliament and chose Mr Juncker as its candidate for the presidency to succeed Portugal's Jose Manuel Barroso.
But Mr Cameron and several other European leaders have voiced opposition to his appointment, which has received the backing of Chancellor Merkel, who normally is an ally of Cameron.
Cameron warned UK might quit EU over president - Spiegel
1 June 2014
BBC News
David Cameron and Angela Merkel appear at odds over who should head the EU commission. Cameron said he may bring forward Britain's EU in/out referendum if Juncker gets the job
German magazine Der Spiegel says British PM David Cameron warned that the UK could leave the EU if Luxembourg ex-PM Jean-Claude Juncker became president of the European Commission.
It reported Mr Cameron as saying that the appointment could destabilise his government, which might bring forward referendum plans on EU membership.
Downing Street has not yet commented.
Mr Juncker's European People's Party won the largest number of seats in the European parliament in the May polls.
The centre-right grouping, which also includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, won 213 out of 751 seats in the Parliament and chose Mr Juncker as its candidate for the presidency to succeed Portugal's Jose Manuel Barroso.
But Mr Cameron and several other European leaders have voiced opposition to his appointment, which has received the backing of Chancellor Merkel.
Brussels warning
Juncker was Prime Minister of Luxembourg, the EU's second-smallest member state and one of its founding members, between 1995 and 2013
Correspondents say Mr Cameron, at an informal EU summit earlier this week, made his views clear - that he wanted a reformer to take charge of the EU executive.
Der Spiegel says the British prime minister issued the warning to Angela Merkel during the meeting in Brussels.
Quoting "sources close to the participants" of the summit, the influential magazine said Mr Cameron told Chancellor Merkel that selecting Mr Juncker could destabilise his government to such an extent that an in-out referendum on Britain's EU membership would have to be brought forward.
The magazine quotes Mr Cameron as telling the German chancellor that "a face from the 1980s cannot solve the problems of the next five years".
A senior government source told the BBC it did not recognise the language about destabilisation and that it is not something the prime minister would have said.
Juncker's European People's Party (EPP), a grouping of centre-right parties in the EU parliament, won 213 of out 751 seats in the recent EU elections, more than any other grouping. It does not include any British political party
But the BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels says it is no secret that Mr Cameron opposes Mr Juncker and that the UK view is that the need for change is well-established.
Correspondents say Mr Cameron - who has said that Britain will leave the Union of 506 million people if the EU does not reform - said at an informal EU summit earlier this week that he wanted a reformer to take charge of the EU executive.
Der Spiegel (The Mirror) reported Mr Cameron as saying that the appointment of Juncker - who was the Prime Minister of tiny Luxembourg, the EU's second-smallest member state, between 1995 and 2013 and who, amongst other things, defends the CAP, EU integration and was one of the architects of the disatrous Euro, all of which Britain is against - could destabilise his government, which might bring forward referendum plans on EU membership.
Cameron has promised to give the British people a referendum in 2017 on whether or not Britain should leave the EU should he win next year's General Election - although Ed Miliband's Labour Party is also under pressure to promise one if they win the General Election after Ukip's victory in the EU elections.
Mr Juncker's European People's Party (EPP) is a grouping of centre-right parties in the EU Parliament and it won the largest number of seats in the EU parliament in the May polls. The EPP, which also includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats but doesn't include any British political party, won 213 out of 751 seats in the Parliament and chose Mr Juncker as its candidate for the presidency to succeed Portugal's Jose Manuel Barroso.
But Mr Cameron and several other European leaders have voiced opposition to his appointment, which has received the backing of Chancellor Merkel, who normally is an ally of Cameron.
Cameron warned UK might quit EU over president - Spiegel
1 June 2014
BBC News
David Cameron and Angela Merkel appear at odds over who should head the EU commission. Cameron said he may bring forward Britain's EU in/out referendum if Juncker gets the job
German magazine Der Spiegel says British PM David Cameron warned that the UK could leave the EU if Luxembourg ex-PM Jean-Claude Juncker became president of the European Commission.
It reported Mr Cameron as saying that the appointment could destabilise his government, which might bring forward referendum plans on EU membership.
Downing Street has not yet commented.
Mr Juncker's European People's Party won the largest number of seats in the European parliament in the May polls.
The centre-right grouping, which also includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, won 213 out of 751 seats in the Parliament and chose Mr Juncker as its candidate for the presidency to succeed Portugal's Jose Manuel Barroso.
But Mr Cameron and several other European leaders have voiced opposition to his appointment, which has received the backing of Chancellor Merkel.
Brussels warning
Juncker was Prime Minister of Luxembourg, the EU's second-smallest member state and one of its founding members, between 1995 and 2013
Correspondents say Mr Cameron, at an informal EU summit earlier this week, made his views clear - that he wanted a reformer to take charge of the EU executive.
Der Spiegel says the British prime minister issued the warning to Angela Merkel during the meeting in Brussels.
Quoting "sources close to the participants" of the summit, the influential magazine said Mr Cameron told Chancellor Merkel that selecting Mr Juncker could destabilise his government to such an extent that an in-out referendum on Britain's EU membership would have to be brought forward.
The magazine quotes Mr Cameron as telling the German chancellor that "a face from the 1980s cannot solve the problems of the next five years".
A senior government source told the BBC it did not recognise the language about destabilisation and that it is not something the prime minister would have said.
Juncker's European People's Party (EPP), a grouping of centre-right parties in the EU parliament, won 213 of out 751 seats in the recent EU elections, more than any other grouping. It does not include any British political party
But the BBC's Chris Morris in Brussels says it is no secret that Mr Cameron opposes Mr Juncker and that the UK view is that the need for change is well-established.