José Manuel Barroso unveils manifesto for second term

José Manuel Barroso’s campaign to secure a second five-year term as head of the European commission moved into high gear yesterday when he unveiled his plans to “transform” the EU.

Barroso’s bid for a second term ran into stiff opposition among social democrats, greens and liberals in the European parliament over the summer, triggering a delay in the parliament vote and raising the prospect of the former Portuguese prime minister falling victim to intense politicking in Brussels.

Barroso is to travel to Strasbourg in two weeks to be grilled by the parliament, which is then expected to vote on the second term for a leader already formally endorsed by the 27 governments of the EU.

“We need a transformational agenda,” Barroso declared today in a 42-page policy document dispatched to the parliament and containing coded messages aimed at satisfying his critics and opponents.

Of Europe’s leaders, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has been Barroso’s biggest problem over the past year and commission officials remain worried that today’s manifesto, avowedly liberal and anti-protectionist, might yet incur spoiling tactics from Sarkozy.

Barroso called for financial market reform, a battle against worsening unemployment in the EU, a greening of the economy, broadband, hi-tech, and energy “supergrid” investment, and also offered the parliament a new “partnership” with the commission, including regular grilling at a new question time in the chamber. “To a degree, there is something in there for everyone,” said a commission official.

The social democrats in the parliament presented Barroso with a long list of demands while liberals called for a strong, single European financial regulator. Neither, however, proposed an alternative candidate to Barroso, preferring instead to wage a struggle over how power is wielded in Brussels.

Barroso conceded to few of the specific demands today, but is believed to be willing to yield further to his critics when he goes before the parliament later this month.

The British government and opposition strongly support Barroso and applauded today’s “vision” of Europe’s future.

Only one previous incumbent, Jacques Delors, has served two terms or 10 years as commission president. Barroso is regularly compared unfavourably with Delors, with critics complaining that he fails to stand up to the leaders of the bigger EU countries.