BERLIN (Reuters) - Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said on Wednesday the European Union might plunge into an institutional crisis if Jean-Claude Juncker is not appointed as president of the European Commission next week.
EU diplomats have said Juncker, a centre-right former Luxembourg prime minister and veteran EU deal broker, is the only name on the table and looks increasingly likely to be nominated at a June 26-27 leaders summit.
"If we don't accomplish that or if we suggest another person, there will be an institutional crisis," Bettel told reporters in Berlin. "The European Parliament won't go along with that."
He said the EU "definitely" needed a candidate and a set of priorities for the coming five years next week.
Bettel said the 28 EU governments should not give citizens the impression they could not reach agreement. He said it had been promised before the EU parliamentary elections that the top candidate of the strongest party group would get the post of European Commission president.
"So that's Mr Juncker," Bettel said.
Juncker has the backing of all four main pro-European groups in the European Parliament, which has to vote on the nominee put forward by the European Council of EU leaders. British Prime Minister David Cameron opposes him but is looking increasingly isolated in his bid to block Juncker.
(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Larry King)