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PARIS - Tony Blair received an unwelcome 55th birthday present from France yesterday. President Nicolas Sarkozy has abandoned his efforts to push the former British Prime Minister's claim to be the first permanent president of the European Union Council from next year.
Sarkozy is now backing Jean-Claude Juncker, the Luxembourg Prime Minister, according to senior French officials. The French President was once a strong Blair-backer, floating the idea himself last year, but he has bowed to pressure from other EU governments.
Another possible candidate is European Commission president, Jose Manuel Barroso, with Juncker replacing him as head of the EU executive.
- INDEPENDENT
