The largest grouping within the European Parliament has reportedly vowed to block any attempt to elect the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, as the new president of the European Commission.
Reports this morning said the centre-right European People’s Party was adamant that the next EC president should belong to one of its constituent parties.
Fine Gael is the Irish constituent party of the EPP, while Fianna Fáil is affiliated to the smaller Union of a Europe of Nations.
Mr Ahern has been linked with the job of EC president following the failure of EU leaders to agree on a candidate for the job at a summit in Brussels last week.