Latest: Donald Tusk has 'overwhelming support' for top EU job
Donald Tusk has "overwhelming support" to retain one of the European Union's top jobs, despite staunch opposition from the government of his native Poland, the EU leader overseeing the election process said.
Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, speaking only hours before the 28 EU leaders are due to decide who will be president of the EU Council for the next two-and-a-half years, said consultations over the past week had shown "very solid support".
The job is one of the bloc's most prestigious. It involves chairing summits, co-ordinating the work of the member countries and making sure the 28 nations speak as much as possible with one voice on the international stage.
The government in Warsaw argued that the decision should be delayed because of its displeasure with Mr Tusk, a bitter political rival, and with the election process.
But Mr Muscat said there was little appetite for a delay.
"There is an overwhelming support for President Tusk's re-election," Mr Muscat told reporters before the start of a two-day summit.
The EU is facing a plethora of challenges, not least the imminent divorce proceedings as Britain leaves the bloc, and does not want to be caught in an institutional quagmire over the position of a leader.
"Until now I have not seen a willingness or enthusiasm for member states to postpone that vote," said Mr Muscat, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency.
Poland's nationalist government has proposed little-known Polish EU politician Jacek Saryusz-Wolski to replace Mr Tusk, whose current term ends on May 31.
Mr Tusk is a former prime minister who has a long and bitter rivalry with the leader of Poland's current governing party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.
The government argues that Mr Tusk supports the domestic opposition in Poland and has failed to protect the country's interests in the EU.
Diplomats from several member nations say Warsaw has little or no support, while Mr Tusk has strong backing.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel offered Mr Tusk public support in a pre-summit speech to politicians in Berlin.
"I see his re-election as a sign of stability for the entire European Union and I look forward to continuing working with him," Mrs Merkel said.
Polish foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski said Poland will do everything it can to block Mr Tusk's re-election.
"There is no need for hurry, no need to make the decision today," Mr Waszczykowski said on Poland's TVN24 television.
Mr Muscat acknowledged that several member nations are unhappy that all major EU posts are held by members of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP), but insisted that "they don't want to sacrifice President Tusk because of that, because they think he has done a good job".
Apart from Mr Tusk, EPP politicians Jean-Claude Juncker and Antonio Tajani head the EU's executive commission and the European Parliament respectively.
Mr Muscat said a more equitable spreading of posts would need to be addressed sometime over the coming months.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny will attend a meeting of the European Council in Brussels today with the economy, security and migration all on the agenda.
Brexit is also likely to feature - with the Taoiseach saying discussions on the future direction of Europe are crucial, particularly given the various challenges we face.
Also on the agenda this week is the re-election of European Council president Donald Tusk who is facing strong opposition from his own country, Poland, and Hungary's Victor Orben who wish to oust him for their own candidate.
There had been rumours that Taoiseach Enda Kenny could put himself forward for the role, but its unlikely as Donald Tusk has strong support from the rest of the member states, including Ireland.
It is likely to be the last EU Council meeting for British Prime Minister Theresa May before triggering Brexit.
Her timeline of formally announcing a withdrawal from the EU by March is said to be on track and talks on a split will begin on the first week of April.
