European leaders jockey for top EU jobs

BRUSSELS: Europe's biggest conservative political group has gone into battle to grab the job of European Commission president when it becomes vacant next year, with former Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker lining up with others for the post.

Leaders of the European People's Party (EPP), including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, agreed at talks ahead of a European Union summit to elect a candidate at a party convention in Dublin on March 6 and 7, said party president Joseph Daul.

Several prime ministers or former heads of government are said to be in the running, including Finland's Jyrki Katainen, Poland's Donald Tusk, and most recently Juncker, who served as premier of Luxembourg for 18 years until he lost elections in October.

After repeatedly denying interest in the job, Juncker told French daily Le Monde: "I'm ready if asked."

Ireland's Enda Kenny, who was frequently cited as a potential candidate, said he was "flattered" to have been mentioned but aimed to lead his Fine Gael into the next elections.

An EU diplomat told AFP that Juncker for his part was going for several jobs.

"He's put his hand up for the Commission but is also being suggested as a successor to Herman Van Rompuy," the former Belgian premier who heads the European Council of member states.

The president of the Commission -- the EU executive made up of 28 commissioners, one for each member state -- is currently former Portuguese premier Jose Manuel Barroso.

The EU diplomat, who asked not to be identified, said appointing Juncker to head the Commission would not go down well with some EU heads of state and government, including Merkel, due to his independent streak.

But another source said Juncker was more than likely to pick up one of the top jobs on the EU market in 2014 after European Parliament elections in May.

Former French cabinet minister Michel Barnier, currently the country's representative on the Commission, where he runs the Internal Markets division, has also signalled his readiness to take the top executive job if asked.

So has Luxembourg's Viviane Reding, the outspoken Justice Commissioner, but she would stand little chance if fellow Luxembourger Juncker decides to run.