A new Commission President in 2014

The current President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, is due to step down at the end of October 2014.

Candidates for the next presidency came forward before the European Parliament (EP) elections in May, but since the elections the debate has intensified.

The political groups in the EP put forward their candidates for president. The EP wants the candidate of the majority group in the EP – the European People’s Party – to be nominated to the European Council for approval. The EPP nomination, former Luxembourg Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, has the support of a majority of EU governments, but not of the UK or possibly the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary and others.

The UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, is seeking a vote in the European Council on the Juncker nomination, in the hope that he and his allies will be able to block it.

The heads of state and government are expected to make a decision on the next Commission President on 26-27 June 2014. The EP will then vote on the European Council’s nomination, possibly on 15 July.

This note looks at the process of choosing and appointing the Commission president and at UK opposition to the nomination of Jean-Claude Juncker.