A delicious insight into the way EU leaders squabble with each other when we can’t watch what they are up to is given to us by Le Monde, as borrowed by Open Europe.

The top-level ghastly personal row breaks out over the French moves to deport Roma people. The various exotic interventions by S Berlusconi are what my teenage sons would call ‘random’.

And behold M Barroso upholding his honour:

Sarkozy: "Barroso can’t tell us what to say!"

Barroso: "I’ve the right to express my opinion, because I’m a member of the European Council myself. And I even have a special statute […] We have done everything to help you with the European Parliament, which is furious on this issue. Let’s not turn all this in an institutional quarrel. That would be excessive".

President Sarkozy of course sneers at Luxembourg, prompting this surreal exchange:

Luxembourgish Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker (trying to mediate): "Ms. Reding should not have talked the way she did. Nicolas should not exaggerate, though. It’s only by chance that she was born in Luxembourg".

Barroso (interrupting Juncker): "But it was you who appointed her [as EU Commissioner representing Luxembourg]. Three times!"

Juncker: "Yes, but at your request…"

Let’s tip-toe quietly away from this grotesque scene, leaving the last word of unambiguous wisdom with Silvio:

Berlusconi: "We need to silence the Commissioners!"

Tiens.

What does it all mean? Qu’est-ce que ça veut dire?

Spiegel Online picks up some French media jibes wondering whether N Sarkozy and S Berlusconi are merging into one new organism: Sarkosconi.