EU leaders locked horns on Thursday over the bloc’s next long-term budget as they kicked off talks in Brussels under pressure to seal a deal before several high-stakes elections next year, most crucially in France.
The 27-nation European Union wants an agreement by Christmas, worried that any future deal-making will be derailed by potential Eurosceptic wins across the bloc, including in France where the far-right’s Marine Le Pen is favoured in opinion polls.
“We are facing very, very difficult negotiations,” Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters as he arrived at the summit talks.
Leaders are “still very far apart”, he added, suggesting they “pack a few extra shirts” for a final summit meeting set for December.