Jean-Claude Juncker

Plamen Oresharski, the Prime Minister who heads Bulgaria's socialist-led government, said Friday he has thrown his support behind EPP nominee for Commission President.

After an unsuccessful no-confidence vote in Parliament, Oresharski told the media that he had backed the bid of conservative Jean-Claude Juncker as EU Commission President.

James G. Neuger & Jonathan Stearns

Europe’s leaders resisted calls to quickly baptize Luxembourg’s Jean-Claude Juncker as the next European Commission president, tying the appointment to a broader package of high-profile posts.

By Paul Taylor & Luke Baker

European Union leaders, stunned by a big Eurosceptic protest vote in European Parliament elections, agreed on Tuesday to seek a package deal of appointments to top EU jobs with an economic agenda to win back public confidence.

By Raf Casert

BRUSSELS — European Union leaders on Tuesday sought a way to bounce back from the weekend's landmark elections that saw a partly hostile and largely apathetic public question their project of closer cooperation as never before.

By Jonathan Stearns

Jean-Claude Juncker staked a claim to the European Commission presidency after his Europe-wide party won parliamentary elections, setting up a potential clash with national government leaders over the high-profile post.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta on Monday sent President Traian Basescu a letter asking him to participate in the European Council meeting to take place in Brussels, political sources told Agerpres.

By Paul Taylor

Draped down the side of the European Commission's headquarters, a 13-storey-tall banner urged citizens to vote in the European Parliament elections, proclaiming in English, French and Dutch: "This time it's different."

Well maybe, but maybe not.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the nominee of the EU’s Christian Democratic parties for the top job at the European Commission, has said that a breakdown of Greece's conservative-led coalition government would be a “highly dangerous” development.

A civil engineer (l) guides conservative top candidate for the upcoming European elections Jean-Claude Juncker (2nd r) at a metro construction site in Athens, on Monday.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the conservative candidate for European Commission president, is due to hold a series of meetings in Athens on Monday.

Juncker is due to have lunch with Prime Minister Antonis Samaras at the Acropolis Museum. Later, he will visit a metro worksite and the offices of the EU border agency Frontex in Athens.