Former PM wants European Commission President role

Former Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis will stand as a candidate for the European Commission President role.

Dombrovskis told members of the press today that he can maintain his candidacy for the post of European Commission president, but that people should not get their hopes up too high, as there are many strong candidates.

''I, of course, intend to inform by colleagues from the European People's Party regarding my readiness to become a candidate,'' the former prime minister said.

In an interview with the European news portal EurActiv, Joseph Daul, the president of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), named four potential candidates for the European Commission presidency who could be nominated at the EPP congress in March.

''One of them is a Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, the other former Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, then the current commissioner for the internal market, Michel Barnier, and the former prime minister of Luxembourg, Jean-Claude Juncker,'' he said.

Asked whether he has a favorite, Daul said that ''as chairman of a political party, you are not entitled to have your own favorite. The candidacy of four politicians, who I know very well, is generally known.''

As reported, the European Commission presidency is a matter which will begin to be debated within the European People's Party this February, and that candidates will be able to put forward their names as of February 13. A vote on the party's European Commission candidates will be held during a party congress at the beginning of March in Dublin.

Jose Manuel Barroso is currently president of the European Commission.