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Fri 06 Jun 2009EU leaders back Barroso for second five-year term
PRESIDENT OF the European Commission José Manuel Barroso last night received a re- endorsement from EU leaders for a second five-year term. The heads of government, meeting over dinner, reached a political agreement that will see Mr Barroso’s name put before the leaders of the European Parliament’s political groups next week for formal consultation ahead of actual renomination.
Mr Barroso, a Portuguese member of the centre-right EPP, is still the only candidate for the job after what many see as a lacklustre term. However, his candidature has provoked strong opposition from other groups, notably the leader of the Greens, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, although the latter has yet to nominate an alternative.
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