Centre-right leaders from the EU's biggest political group had played down the chances of agreement on a new Commission president. They oppose a plan to give the post to Dutch centre-left politician Frans Timmermans, a deputy to Mr Juncker.

Soon after the working dinner began the talks were suspended. Summit chair Donald Tusk decided to take a break for bilateral talks, and his spokesman said the summit would resume later. Mr Tusk was reported to be proposing Mr Timmermans for the top job, as part of a balanced package. But politicians in Poland, Hungary, and Romania dislike the way Mr Timmermans, a veteran of Brussels politics, has enforced the EU rule of law policy. The centre-right European People's Party (EPP) nominated Germany's Manfred Weber for the top job.