The President of the European People’s Party (EPP), Joseph Daul, today received the candidature of the former Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker, to be the EPP’s candidate for President of the European Commission.

Jean-Claude Juncker brings with him the support of his home party CSV and the endorsement of EPP member parties CDU and Nea Demokratia, from Germany and Greece respectively, an EPP statement said today.

This is the second candidature received by the EPP (after that of former Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis) following the opening of the selection process on 13 February. In order to be nominated as the EPP candidate for President of the European Commission, a candidate needs the support of his or her own member party and the endorsement of no more than two member parties from two EU countries other than the country of origin of the candidate.

The process of nominating the EPP candidate will remain open to further submissions and will continue according to the following timeline and rules:
13 February – opening of the submission of candidacies.
5 March – last day to submit candidacies.
6 March (Dublin Congress) – review of the candidacies at the Political Assembly; validation of the candidacies and submission to the Congress for a vote.
7 March (Dublin Congress) – Congress delegates vote to elect the candidate; proclamation of the candidate; launch of the campaign.