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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| The EU summit figures who could help or hinder UK's renegotiation attempts | The EU summit figures who could help or hinder UK's renegotiation attempts |
| (7 months later) | |
| The awkward squad | The awkward squad |
| Beata Szydło, Poland | Beata Szydło, Poland |
| Szydło has been leading opposition to benefit changes and other measures that could affect Poles living in the UK. The Visegrád four are ready to make some concessions on welfare benefits, but only if they get guarantees that restrictions on child benefit will not copied by other countries and applied to other areas, such as pensions. | Szydło has been leading opposition to benefit changes and other measures that could affect Poles living in the UK. The Visegrád four are ready to make some concessions on welfare benefits, but only if they get guarantees that restrictions on child benefit will not copied by other countries and applied to other areas, such as pensions. |
| Bohuslav Sobotka, Czech Republic | Bohuslav Sobotka, Czech Republic |
| Sobotka is the chair of the Visegrád countries. A social democrat, he is less Eurosceptic than some of his predecessors and is staunchly opposed to UK plans to cut child benefit for children living outside Britain. | Sobotka is the chair of the Visegrád countries. A social democrat, he is less Eurosceptic than some of his predecessors and is staunchly opposed to UK plans to cut child benefit for children living outside Britain. |
| François Hollande, France | François Hollande, France |
| The president has not made many public interventions into the British debate, but behind the scenes French officials have played a vital role in watering down the British text. France is concerned that the UK could walk away with strong protections for the City of London, which would undermine the smooth functioning of the eurozone. Paris is fighting a rearguard action against UK demands to get a special procedure written into EU law that would allow non-eurozone countries to slow down eurozone laws. | The president has not made many public interventions into the British debate, but behind the scenes French officials have played a vital role in watering down the British text. France is concerned that the UK could walk away with strong protections for the City of London, which would undermine the smooth functioning of the eurozone. Paris is fighting a rearguard action against UK demands to get a special procedure written into EU law that would allow non-eurozone countries to slow down eurozone laws. |
| Charles Michel, Belgium | Charles Michel, Belgium |
| Small countries like the EU because it stands up for their interests against bigger powers. Nowhere is this more true than Belgium. Its Francophone, liberal prime minister has been a staunch defender of the interests of the EU in the UK negotiations. Belgium has been leading efforts to defend the “ever-closer union” provision of the treaties. Reportedly told Cameron recently: “If you want to go, just go. We will not let you ruin Europe by staying.” | Small countries like the EU because it stands up for their interests against bigger powers. Nowhere is this more true than Belgium. Its Francophone, liberal prime minister has been a staunch defender of the interests of the EU in the UK negotiations. Belgium has been leading efforts to defend the “ever-closer union” provision of the treaties. Reportedly told Cameron recently: “If you want to go, just go. We will not let you ruin Europe by staying.” |
| Belgium, supported by France, wants to make it clear that Britain could not seek to rewrite the terms of its EU membership again if the UK were to vote to leave in a referendum. The would kill off the idea of a second referendum, ensuring that any deal agreed at this summit would be definitive. | Belgium, supported by France, wants to make it clear that Britain could not seek to rewrite the terms of its EU membership again if the UK were to vote to leave in a referendum. The would kill off the idea of a second referendum, ensuring that any deal agreed at this summit would be definitive. |
| Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg | Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg |
| As a small country and one of the EU’s founding six, Luxembourg has been one of the strongest opponents of aspects of the UK’s renegotiation, including demands on ever-closer union. | As a small country and one of the EU’s founding six, Luxembourg has been one of the strongest opponents of aspects of the UK’s renegotiation, including demands on ever-closer union. |
| Taavi Rõivas, Estonia | Taavi Rõivas, Estonia |
| Estonia is one of the newest members of the eurozone and has proved to be a tough opponent of UK hopes of boosting the rights of countries outside the single currency. | Estonia is one of the newest members of the eurozone and has proved to be a tough opponent of UK hopes of boosting the rights of countries outside the single currency. |
| Viktor Orbán, Hungary | Viktor Orbán, Hungary |
| The combative prime minister has said he agrees with most of the UK agenda but, along with other central European countries, has opposed some of the benefit changes. | The combative prime minister has said he agrees with most of the UK agenda but, along with other central European countries, has opposed some of the benefit changes. |
| Robert Fico, Slovakia | Robert Fico, Slovakia |
| Outspoken Fico doesn’t have a good word to say about the EU, but he is in favour of freedom of movement that allows Slovaks to work in the UK. | Outspoken Fico doesn’t have a good word to say about the EU, but he is in favour of freedom of movement that allows Slovaks to work in the UK. |
| Māris Kučinskis, Latvia | Māris Kučinskis, Latvia |
| Nominated as prime minister in January, Kučinskis is another newcomer to the EU summit. | Nominated as prime minister in January, Kučinskis is another newcomer to the EU summit. |
| Dalia Grybauskaitė, Lithuania | Dalia Grybauskaitė, Lithuania |
| Lithuania’s straight-talking president knows how EU summits work: “I think everyone will have their own drama and then we will agree.” | Lithuania’s straight-talking president knows how EU summits work: “I think everyone will have their own drama and then we will agree.” |
| Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria | Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria |
| The former fireman and bodyguard hosted David Cameron last December, where he showed off a controversial fence on Bulgaria’s border with Turkey. | The former fireman and bodyguard hosted David Cameron last December, where he showed off a controversial fence on Bulgaria’s border with Turkey. |
| Klaus Werner Iohannis, Romania | Klaus Werner Iohannis, Romania |
| A former physics teacher, the president is a stern opponent of treating Romanians in the UK differently to British nationals. | A former physics teacher, the president is a stern opponent of treating Romanians in the UK differently to British nationals. |
| The allies | The allies |
| Angela Merkel, Germany | Angela Merkel, Germany |
| A vital ally. The German chancellor has said she shares Cameron’s view that non-eurozone countries should not be sidelined and that member states should be able to protect their benefits systems. But – contrary to tabloid stereotype and Team Cameron’s earlier assumptions – Merkel does not pull all the strings in the chancelleries and palaces of Europe. | A vital ally. The German chancellor has said she shares Cameron’s view that non-eurozone countries should not be sidelined and that member states should be able to protect their benefits systems. But – contrary to tabloid stereotype and Team Cameron’s earlier assumptions – Merkel does not pull all the strings in the chancelleries and palaces of Europe. |
| Enda Kenny, Ireland | Enda Kenny, Ireland |
| Dublin is seeking to ensure that Irish citizens are not included in any emergency brake, to reflect the ancient ties between Britain and Ireland. | Dublin is seeking to ensure that Irish citizens are not included in any emergency brake, to reflect the ancient ties between Britain and Ireland. |
| Werner Faymann, Austria | Werner Faymann, Austria |
| The Austrian chancellor is facing calls to introduce a local version of the emergency brake that would allow Vienna to stop paying EU migrants’ benefits. | The Austrian chancellor is facing calls to introduce a local version of the emergency brake that would allow Vienna to stop paying EU migrants’ benefits. |
| Mark Rutte, Netherlands | Mark Rutte, Netherlands |
| As a liberal and head of country that voted down an EU treaty in 2005, Rutte is a natural ally of Cameron. | As a liberal and head of country that voted down an EU treaty in 2005, Rutte is a natural ally of Cameron. |
| Juha Sipilä, Finland | Juha Sipilä, Finland |
| A former IT businessman, Finland’s liberal prime minister has been fairly relaxed about the changes being pursued by Cameron. | A former IT businessman, Finland’s liberal prime minister has been fairly relaxed about the changes being pursued by Cameron. |
| Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark | Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark |
| Denmark would also like to introduce a homegrown version of the restrictions on child benefit the UK is pushing for. | Denmark would also like to introduce a homegrown version of the restrictions on child benefit the UK is pushing for. |
| Alexis Tsipras, Greece | Alexis Tsipras, Greece |
| With unemployment rates nudging 25% and Greece at risk of being thrown out of the EU’s Schengen border zone, as it struggles to cope with a big influx of refugees, Tsipras has plenty of other issues to worry about. Definitely wouldn’t be keen on a Brexit, for fear of it setting a dangerous precedent. | With unemployment rates nudging 25% and Greece at risk of being thrown out of the EU’s Schengen border zone, as it struggles to cope with a big influx of refugees, Tsipras has plenty of other issues to worry about. Definitely wouldn’t be keen on a Brexit, for fear of it setting a dangerous precedent. |
| Miro Cerar, Slovenia | Miro Cerar, Slovenia |
| Cameron’s EU travels meant that a British prime minister made a first-ever visit to Slovenia since its independence in 1991. | Cameron’s EU travels meant that a British prime minister made a first-ever visit to Slovenia since its independence in 1991. |
| Matteo Renzi, Italy | Matteo Renzi, Italy |
| The social democrat might not be Cameron’s ideological soulmate but could prove a helpful voice around the table. The former mayor of Florence recently told Bloomberg it was his “duty to support David”. Renzi, who has been leading the charge against Europe’s austerity economics and calling for more flexibility on EU budget rules, could be looking for his own special opt-outs on EU law. | The social democrat might not be Cameron’s ideological soulmate but could prove a helpful voice around the table. The former mayor of Florence recently told Bloomberg it was his “duty to support David”. Renzi, who has been leading the charge against Europe’s austerity economics and calling for more flexibility on EU budget rules, could be looking for his own special opt-outs on EU law. |
| In the middle | In the middle |
| Stefan Löfven, Sweden | Stefan Löfven, Sweden |
| Sweden is a traditional ally of the UK in the councils of Brussels, but the centre-left government is wary that some of the British proposals on cutting red tape could weaken employment rights and environmental protection. | Sweden is a traditional ally of the UK in the councils of Brussels, but the centre-left government is wary that some of the British proposals on cutting red tape could weaken employment rights and environmental protection. |
| Nicos Anastasiades, Cyprus | Nicos Anastasiades, Cyprus |
| Cyprus has to trade off its role as a traditional British ally against multibillion-euro bailouts it has received as a member of the eurozone. | Cyprus has to trade off its role as a traditional British ally against multibillion-euro bailouts it has received as a member of the eurozone. |
| Joseph Muscat, Malta | Joseph Muscat, Malta |
| Another small country. The island of Malta has the smallest population in the EU, with just 429,000 people, which makes it smaller than Manchester, but still a player at EU summits. | Another small country. The island of Malta has the smallest population in the EU, with just 429,000 people, which makes it smaller than Manchester, but still a player at EU summits. |
| Tihomir Orešković, Croatia | Tihomir Orešković, Croatia |
| Technocrat prime minister Orešković is the newest member of the EU club, having been in office for less than a month. | Technocrat prime minister Orešković is the newest member of the EU club, having been in office for less than a month. |
| António Costa, Portugal | António Costa, Portugal |
| Portugal’s socialist leader is a relative newcomer to Brussels summits, having been named prime minister in November after an inconclusive general election. | Portugal’s socialist leader is a relative newcomer to Brussels summits, having been named prime minister in November after an inconclusive general election. |
| Mariano Rajoy, Spain | Mariano Rajoy, Spain |
| Spain’s centre-right prime minister is probably sitting down at his last EU summit, as rival parties struggle to form a government following the country’s inconclusive elections. | Spain’s centre-right prime minister is probably sitting down at his last EU summit, as rival parties struggle to form a government following the country’s inconclusive elections. |