Well that did not take long, did it? MEPs spent months and months carefully constructing a house of cards. Extrapolating treaty text. Reading between the lines. Acting in the spirit, rather than the letter.

And along came EU leaders and blew the whole thing down with one dismissive puff.

They “took note” of what the EU parliament said about letting Jean-Claude Juncker start trying to put together majority support to get the post of European Commission president.

Then, after having taken note, they proceeded to ignore it.

It was the first shot in what is likely to be a furious power struggle, as the European Council fights to keep its prerogative to chose who gets what post.

While Council President Herman Van Rompuy was his usual mild self, merely tweeting that his institution has a “role to play”, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was implacable.

She all but accused MEPs of blackmail, reminded them that when the treaty was breached the last time (when many, including Germany, ignored the rules underpinning the euro), the EU was brought to the brink of economic catastrophe.