The political battle over Ursula von der Leyen's proposed €2 trillion budget for the European Union began in earnest on Friday as ministers for European affairs met in Brussels, with initial criticism focused on the size of the ambitious proposal.
Von der Leyen's plan, unveiled on Wenesday after weeks of mounting speculation, will require unanimity from the 27 member states. The president of the European Commission called it the "most ambitious" budget ever presented.
