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Research by The Daily Telegraph has established that Lady Ashton, who finishes her job as High Representative of Foreign Affairs in October this year, will be paid € 162, 349 a year, 55 per cent of her basic salary, until the end of 2017.

There seems to be quite a consensus about the direction towards which the elections are going. Analysts all seem to agree that populists, eurosceptics and fringe parties are likely to gain an alarmingly high number of seats. Whatever the outcome of the European Parliament elections, it seems likely that the new European Parliament will have far more MEPs who are sceptical of the internal market.

The figures here below are estimates and have been rounded.

On assuming office, a Commissioner is entitled to an installation allowance of two months'basic salary which equates to about € 40,000 and of course the costs of travel to Brussels and moving expenses are fully reimbursed.

The current basic monthly salary of a Commisioner is € 20,000 or € 240,000 per year (In April 2013 the Commissioners accepted a so-called 25% solidarity cut of their salary)