Cameron knows full well that both France and Germany have stated they do NOT want the Brexit referendum held in 2017 as it will interfere with their own elections.
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It was made pretty clear that the European council would not engage seriously until the [UK] election result was clear. Now they know they have to deal with us and they want the UK to stay in the EU. We expect the negotiations to take place in 2015 and 2016 so they finish well ahead of the French presidential elections [spring of 2017] and the German federal elections [September 2017].
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Until now Cameron has helpfully—and in my view, rather optimistically—suggested the UK referendum will be in 2016, so long as an early agreement with EU leaders can be achieved. But today Cameron is saying, "I'm not in a hurry, I can hold my referendum at any time up until the end of 2017."
The other EU leaders realise that Cameron has a recent mandate from the British electorate (i.e. the renegotiation was in the Conservative manifesto and the party got elected). I think Cameron is in a fairly strong position and what he's asked for isn't outrageous. And that's unfortunate because if he achieves his demands it weakens the exit campaign.
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