EU leaders reject new budget plan; Romania joins opposition bloc
European Union leaders expressed firm opposition Thursday to a new budget proposal for 2028-2034, raising doubts about reaching an agreement before year's end. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten described closed-door discussions as "cold" and predictable, saying "everyone is dissatisfied" with current proposals. Ireland, holding the EU's rotating presidency, presented a revised budget draft last Saturday reduced by approximately 159 billion euros. Leaders rejected the proposal for different reasons, prompting European Council President António Costa to schedule an additional meeting on November 26 with new budget figures to force a compromise. Costa is pressuring leaders to finalize negotiations before 2027 elections in France, Italy, and Poland derail talks. French President Emmanuel Macron said he lacks political mandate to sign a deal near April 2027 presidential elections, while Romania joined the "friends of cohesion" group opposing budget cuts.