Contenders to become the European parties' single candidates in the campaign towards May 2014's European elections. These candidates serve as contenders for the European Commission presidency as well.

1. Parties’
Presidential
Candidates
Navigate to
browse the
list of
contenders

2. Centre-right
The centre-right European People’s
Party selected a single candidate at its
congress on 6-7 March in Dublin.
Europe’s most prominent political
force held a vote between two
heavyweights, as two other
contenders dropped out earlier on…

3. Jean-Claude
Juncker
Chances Juncker beat French
commissioner Michel Barnier at
the EPP congress, and got several
top endorsements within the
party. His experience as former
president of the Eurogroup
speaks in his favour, but Brussels
is already speculating he will be
put at the helm of the European
Council, rather than the EU
Commission.
Former Prime Minister of
Luxembourg

4. SocialistsThe Socialist party PES has spent
plenty of time in the past years to
design a kind of ‘primary’ selection
process for a common candidate,
only to see their frontrunner
unopposed when nominations
closed in November…

5. Martin Schulz
Nationality German
Chances Schulz was nominated
by Europe’s socialist parties in
November. Depending on the
results of the socialists in May,
he could secure a coalition
between the socialists, liberals
and greens in the next
European Parliament, putting
him front and centre as leading
candidate for the EC presidency.
President of the
European Parliament

6. LiberalsThe European liberal party
ALDE kick-started their
selection process for a front-
runner, end of November, but
what was expected to be a tight
race ended prematurely due to
a compromise between the two
liberal heavyweights…

7. Guy Verhofstadt
Nationality Belgian
Chances The liberals put Verhofstadt
front and centre as EC president
candidate, but it is unlikely that a
liberal will get the Commission
presidency. Verhofstadt’s profile is
controversial: he is disliked amongst
EU leaders in Council, as he is an
outspoken euro-federalist.
Leader of the ALDE Group in
the European Parliament

8. Olli Rehn
Nationality Finnish
Chances In January, Rehn took a step
back in the liberals’ single candidate
selection process, hoping to secure a
high-level post as commissioner with
a portfolio of economic affairs or
foreign policy. Rehn is praised for his
work as economic affairs
commissioner, yet unloved by the
public. He will campaign in tandem
with Verhofstadt.
EU Commissioner for Economic
and Monetary Affairs

9. GreensTheGreens selected two
frontrunners for their European
campaign, in what they dubbed
thefirst ever ‘open online
primary’ on European level…

10. José Bové Chances The Greens
held their “open
online primaries”
from November ’13
until 28 January ’14,
electing Bové and
Keller as frontrunners
for the campaign. But
these two candidates
lack stature and – as
fourth biggest group
in the European
Parliament – The
Greens have little
political credit to
claim any top jobs.
French MEP
Ska Keller
German MEP

11. OtherWhile many of the European parties –
especially on the right-wing side of the
spectrum – decided not to play ball in
nominating frontrunners, somedid follow
suit in the main parties’ initiative…

12. Alexis Tsipras
Chances In December, Tsipras was
designated as the common
candidate for the European Left
party. The European Left will have
little power in the next European
Parliament, even if they gain MEP
seats in the elections. As part of the
fringes of the political spectrum,
Tsipras is highly unlikely to get any
top position.
President of the Greek far-left
party Syriza