Juncker is “confident”: “Merkel and the other EPP leaders will support me”

 Jean-Claude Juncker is “confident” that he will be the name given by the European Council when indicating the forthcoming President of the Commission. In Brussels, during his last press conference before the opening of the ballots, he reiterated one of his dearest thesis. That is, the first person to be appointed by Member States for the formation of the new “European government” should be the candidate of the party obtaining relative majority.

When asked about how sure he is of this – maybe, the European Council could propose someone who is not among the five official candidates, as Herman Van Rompuy has said several times – he answered reminding the audience his most powerful supporter: “Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, was present at every EPP meeting in which I was proposed as candidate for the Presidency, and was among those electing me as official candidate. Why should she violate both the Treaties and the commitment she had undertaken?” And why should “the other EPP Prime Ministers” [who represent the majority in the Council, note of the author] do likewise? This is why, he added, “I have no doubt that what is supposed to happen will happen.” That is, Member States indicating one of the five candidates.