Junker expected to replace Barroso as EC president today

2014-07-15 14

Jean Claude Junker is expected to be endorsed as president of the European Commission later today, replacing Jose Manuel Barroso.

Juncker needs an absolute majority of 376 votes in the 751-seat Parliament to secure the job.

The British Labour Party and Spanish Socialist Party are expected to vote against him.

Ramón Jáuregui Atondo, Spanish centre-left MEP explained to euronews: “We had difficult elections in Spain because we supported the EU economic policy. We have just elected a new general secretary. During his Spanish electoral campaign, he requested not to vote for Juncker.”

If Junker gets majority support, he will start the five-year post in November in charge of an institution that proposes EU law and policing existing rules.

Margherita Sforza, euronews correspondent, reported: “For Jean Claude Juncker it is important to obtain at least the same number of votes as the socialist Martin Schulz elected president of the European parliament two weeks ago.

“It’s important to show that the big coalition between centre-right and centre-left is solid and that Juncker has the political support needed to form the difficult jigsaw of the new European Commission.”