German Socialist Schulz to run for top Commission job

(BRUSSELS) - Germany's Martin Schulz, current president of the European Parliament, will run for the job of European Commission chief next year on behalf of Europe's Socialist parties.

The 57-year-old Social-Democrat from northern Germany on Wednesday won the endorsement of the Party of European Socialists (PES) to run for the EU executive's powerful top job when Jose Manuel Barroso's mandate ends in 2014.

The PES brings together 32 Socialist, Social Democratic and Labour Parties in the 28-nation European Union.

Schulz, former owner of a bookstore, won election to the European Parliament in 1994 and has been its head since 2012 under an agreement with the conservative group to share the five-year mandate.

The conservative European People's Party (EPP) has yet to designate its candidate for the post and is not expected to choose one before March.

EU heads of state have traditionally selected the Commission president but, under the new Lisbon Treaty which came into effect in 2009, next year's designation is supposed to also take "into account the elections to the European Parliament."

There is much discussion however over the new process with the bloc's 28 leaders notably reluctant to cede their powers.

The PES said that in the next four months, Schulz would continue talks with member parties before officially being designated its candidate at a congress on March 1.