Parliamentarians back Jean-Claude Juncker’s bid for Commission President

The Chairmen of EPP parliamentary groups in the national parliaments of the EU have underlined their firm support for Jean-Claude Juncker in his quest to become President of the European Commission. Reunited at their 20th summit, the national and European parliamentarians and heads of the lists for the European elections adopted a declaration where they outline the importance of a strong Europe where all citizens are able to look to their future with confidence again.

The President of the European People's Party (EPP) and Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Joseph Daul MEP, underlined the EPP political family’s priorities: “The EPP line is clear: continuing the work we have already started, to firstly get out of the ‘heightened’ crisis, and then to further deepen our European integration. One doesn’t go without the other. We want to continue with structural reforms, they are vital. We want enterprises to be able to invest. We want to get back to real growth, the kind of growth which will create jobs.”

The parliamentarians believe that Jean-Claude Juncker is the best person to achieve this, having the best European experience, spirit of solidarity and an ambitious programme oriented towards social harmony, financial stability, modernisation and economic progress.

Jean-Claude Juncker highlighted his priorities: “I am campaigning for a strong Europe. We are the party that has and will continue to lead Europe out of the crisis and put Europe firmly back on the path to growth, jobs and stability. I am your candidate and I count on your support in the coming months to win these elections so that together we can do what we do best: make Europe a better and more prosperous place for everyone.”

Paulo Rangel MEP, Vice-Chairman of the EPP Group responsible for relations with National Parliaments and head of the PSD-CDS coalition 'Aliança Portugal', speaking from a Portuguese perspective, stressed the importance of solidarity going hand to hand with responsibility: “Our political family, the European People's Party, has been the most positive, most consistent, most decisive and effective Party. We have been proposing a strict policy, advocating European unity by requiring national and European solidarity without fail. We start this campaign proud of those who have made decisive and correct actions in the past and have programme proposals for the future.”

The meeting focused on the European elections and EPP priorities for a better EU and was attended by the current President of the European Commission, José Manuel Durão Barroso, who gave an overview of his term. The heads of the lists for the European elections presented their political programmes and outlined the challenges that they are facing in their respective Member States. The European and national parliamentarians also discussed the challenges of the ongoing Greek EU Presidency.