Taoiseach to propose Durao Barroso as EC president

The Taoiseach has said in a statement that he will formally propose Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Manuel Durao Barroso to succeed Mr Romano Prodi as President of the European Commission.

Mr  Ahern said he  will, in his role as President of the EU, convene a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Tuesday evening, where he will propose Mr Durao Barroso to take up the position after Mr Prodi steps down on October 31st.

Mr Ahern said he was confident the 48-year-old socialist prime minister would accept the job.

Portuguese Prime Minister Mr Jose Manuel Durao Barroso

"Over the last number of days I have been consulting extensively with colleagues and I am very pleased to be able to confirm that there is overwhelming support for the appointment of Portuguese Prime Minister Barroso as President of the Commission," Mr Ahern said. "I spoke to Jose Manuel last night and was happy to share this information with him."

Mr Ahern said it was "a great tribute to the Prime Minister and to Portugal that colleagues have expressed such support for him and wish to see him accept this appointment."

"Members of the Council have urged him to do so and I am hopeful that he can respond positively," the Taoiseach said. Mr Ahern himself was touted as a possible candidate, although he has repeatedly said he did not want the job.

The German Chancellor, Mr Gerhard Schroeder, said this afternoon  he backed Mr  Durao Barroso for the job and expected he would receive sufficient backing. "I think that Mr Barroso can count on getting sufficient support," Mr Schroeder said. "As I made clear to Mr Ahern, we don't have any intention of voting against him. On the contrary, he can count on Germany's support."

"I am delighted that there is overwhelming support within the European Council for Jose Manuel Durao Barroso to become president of the commission," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in a statement released by Downing Street. "I am sure he would do an outstanding job. I join with the president of the Council and fellow EU leaders in hoping that he will be able to accept this challenge."

At last week's summit in Brussels, Germany and France pressed for Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, but Britain and Italy blocked him because of his hostility to the US-led war in Iraq and their dislike for his federalist vision of the EU. The Berlin and Paris governments reacted by refusing the other camp's candidate, EU External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten.

Mr Durao Barroso fits the criteria set by France and Germany since Portugal, which joined the bloc in 1986, is a full member of all EU policies, including the euro single currency. He is also backed by the conservative European People's Party, the largest group in the European Parliament.

Spain and France had been reluctant because he hosted a summit with US President George W. Bush and key European allies in the Azores Islands on the eve of the Iraq war.

Additional Reporting: Agencies