Frans Timmermans poised to be Socialist’s Spitzenkandidat in upcoming MEP elections
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Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, is poised to put his name forward as a lead candidate for the Commission’s top job after winning the backing of the German Socialists and support from parties across the Continent.
German Social Democratic Party leader Andrea Nahles declared her support for Timmermans to be the Party of European Socialists’ Spitzenkandidat in the upcoming European election, in a letter seen by POLITICO.
Three European Parliament officials said Timmermans, who is a member of the Dutch Labor party (PvdA), has obtained enough support from other members of the pan-European PES to support a bid to be Spitzenkandidat under the party’s rules.
“He is expected to announce that he has enough support to run as a candidate,” said a fourth official from the social democrat family. “If there’s a letter from a prominent social democrat party, it is very likely that others will follow.”
To be nominated, the candidate must have the backing of their national party and eight other PES member parties. Timmermans’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
