Juncker, after all, has many senior politicians to accommodate, and their approval by the European Parliament is no minor matter. And, though it was perhaps unsurprising that Cameron should be unenthusiastic about Juncker s candidacy, the vehemence of his opposition was extraordinary.

Blair's Euroskepticism is understandable insofar as it chimes with the British mood. Opinion polls consistently show that British voters are unenthusiastic about the EU, and the picture is confirmed by the latest Eurobarometer poll, conducted throughout the Union for the Commission but before the recent enlargement from 15 to 25 member states.

41. The Zairian people, however, were unenthusiastic about their political class, not about the idea of democracy. During the National Sovereign Conference (CNS), they had demonstrated their longing to be free and to fight for freedom and had paid for that longing with much spilt blood. Public support for AFDL can be traced to what Kabila said when he launched his drive for power, namely, that his struggle was motivated by the Government apos s failure to observe the CNS agreements.