Former Eurogroup head Jean-Claude Juncker will be the European People Party (EPP) candidate for the presidency of the European Commission, delegates at he party’s conference decided today in Dublin, Ireland.
The former Prime Minister of Luxembourg defeated Commissioner Internal Market and Services Commissioner Michel Barnier of France by 382 votes to 245 .
Juncker, 59, conceded the EPP faces a tough challenge in this May’s European elections as recent polls from the 28 member states point to a Socialist finish in first place.
"We are lagging a little bit behind," Juncker said. "We have to catch up to the Socialists and Mr. Schulz very quickly."
Until last year when he left the Luxembourgian premiership following a security services scandal, Juncker, was Europe’s longest-serving head of government, from 1995-2013.
Was head of Eurogroup from 2005 till 2013 he was instrumental in the EU’s efforts to face the economic crisis.
He will be campaigning to replace Jose Manuel Barroso of Portugal who is stepping down as Commission chief at the end of this year, after 10 years in the job.
Under new rules, the largest party to emerge from May’s upcoming European elections will be considered by the European Council for the presidency of the Commission.
The EPP bloc holds 37 percent of seats in the 766-member European Parliament, Schulz's Socialists 25 percent. But a half-dozen recent opinion polls all have put the two blocs either tied or the Socialists narrowly ahead.
