Junker set to be confirmed as Commission president by EU leaders

EU leaders are expected to confirm former Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker as the new president of the European Commission.

The move comes despite strong opposition from Britain, with UK prime minister David Cameron believing Juncker is too much in favour of closer political union and might block EU reform.

Cameron is expected to seek an unprecedented vote on the appointment, which is usually made by consensus.

However, correspondents say other leaders are likely to ignore his concerns.

Cameron's bid to block Mr Juncker suffered a major setback this week when his allies changed tack.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had given Cameron hope after agreeing to a vote on the issue if there was no consensus.

But both the Netherlands and Sweden have since said they will back Juncker.

In the past such sensitive appointments have been decided through informal negotiations in the European Council.

With Hungary now Cameron's only supporter, analysts say Juncker is likely to be overwhelmingly backed, even if it does go to a vote.

Juncker is the choice of the centre-right European People's Party, which won the largest number of seats in the European Parliament.

Nevertheless, ahead of Friday's talks, Cameron vowed to "insist" on a vote if Juncker's name is tabled, so that EU leaders are forced to justify their support for the veteran politician in public.

He says he is determined to press ahead with renegotiation of Britain's EU membership, followed by an in/out referendum in the UK in 2017, if his Conservative Party wins next year's general election.

"We will have to see what actually happens, but it is the opening step in a longer campaign to secure change in Europe, a better position for Britain in Europe, and a referendum that will be held before the end of 2017," he said.

The row comes a month after anti-EU parties made sweeping gains in European elections.