Germany backs EU Commission chief for new term

(BERLIN) - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday that Germany backed European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso's bid for a second five-year mandate.

"We already said that Mr Barroso has our support -- at least from my side," Merkel told reporters after talks with Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, who holds the European Union presidency until the end of the month.

Speaking at a joint news conference later on Tuesday, Barroso expressed his thanks to Merkel for her public show of support.

"I would like to thank Chancellor Merkel for her warm support that she has already expressed publicly. It means a lot to me ... not just because she is chancellor of Germany, a country I have so much respect for, but also from a very committed European leader," he said.

Barroso agreed Tuesday to stand again to lead the EU's executive arm for a second five-year term after a formal request from the European Union presidency.

The former Portuguese premier, a member of the centre-right European People's Party grouping, made the decision on the heels of victory by the conservatives in weekend EU parliamentary elections.

The Czech Republic will hand the EU presidency over to Sweden on July 1.

Many countries want Barroso's candidacy to be endorsed by EU leaders at a June 18-19 summit in Brussels.

But France and Germany would prefer his nomination to be announced only after the new Lisbon Treaty of reforms has been ratified.

Barroso has long sought a second mandate when his term expires in late October but he has vowed to take the job only if nations and the EU parliament endorsed his programme for the future.

Fischer was to speak with the rest of the EU's 27 leaders on Barroso's candidacy, either in person in their capitals or by telephone.