Madness of King Juncker: EU boss SLAPS bureaucrat before kissing Brussels luvvie
JEAN-Claude Juncker kissed and slapped his way through a Brussels meeting today in a bizarre display just days before the European Union publishes a major paper on the bloc’s future.
Jean-Claude Juncker ruffled his colleague's hair as he attended an EU meeting in a bizarre display
Despite the serious business of the day, Jean-Claude Juncker appeared to be in a jovial mood as he arrived at the weekly college meeting of the European Commission.
Mr Juncker was seen kissing colleagues on the head and playing with their hair.
The European Commission president was seen greeting EU Commission Chief spokesperson Margaritis Schinas by stroking his hair, forcing the official to grimace.
Jean-Claude Juncker planted a kiss on the head of First Vice-President of European Commission Frans Timmermans and was seen laughing out loud
He then planted a kiss on the head of First Vice-President of European Commission Frans Timmermans and was seen laughing out loud before the meeting began.
The flamboyant behaviour is not unusual for the EU chief who has become known for kissing and slapping colleagues at high-level events.
Yesterday he appeared to kiss Portuguese member of European Parliament Maria Joao Rodrigues on the nose as the pair attended a forum in Brussels on the EU’s future before warmly embracing Tavi Roivas, the former prime minister of Estonia.
Jean-claude Juncker appears unsteady on his feet
He even appeared to smooch his arch-enemy Nigel Farage when the pair met at the European Parliament last year in the wake of Brexit.
Earlier this year the BBC’s Andrew Neil mocked the tactile Mr Juncker as he signed off This Week with a compilation of the Eurocrat slapping and kissing an array of politicians.
Mr Schinas grimaces as Mr Juncker plays with his hair
Mr Juncker was animated as the meeting got underway
In 2014 the EU chief was caught in an awkward high five with then prime minister David Cameron.
Mr Juncker’s overly friendly behaviour comes amid a furious row with Theresa May ahead of Brexit negotiations.
The European Commission president sparked outrage when he said he would not give an EU speech in English adding "slowly but surely, English is losing importance in Europe".
Juncker speaks French as English is ‘less’ important in EU
Mr Juncker planted a kiss on Frans Timmermans' head
Mr Juncker greets Maria Joao Rodrigues
Leaks to a German newspaper over a working dinner at Downing Street saw tensions escalate with many accusing Mr Juncker or his chief of staff Martin Selmayr of being behind the story.
German magazine Der Spiegel reported that an angry Chancellor Angela Merkel was "sour" with Mr Juncker over the leak, which she felt had "heated up" the situation in an unhelpful way.