EU Chamber set for September vote on Barroso

The three main factions in the European Parliament have agreed to vote in September on whether to return José Manuel Barroso as head of the European Commission, a senior lawmaker has said.

The vote on Mr Barroso for a second five-year term "will be on the agenda in September," said Joseph Daul, leader of the biggest bloc in parliament, the European People's Party, which backs the former Portuguese premier.

Mr Barroso, 53, is the only publicly declared candidate for what is currently the EU's most high-profile post.

But he was criticised for his commission's slow reaction to the financial crisis last year, so his endorsement by the assembly, freshly elected last month and keen to flex its political muscle, cannot be taken for granted.

Mr Barroso and his allies had wanted a vote this month, but the left, Greens and liberals opposed the move until they had been able to hear his plans for his new term at the commission helm.

The European Commission is responsible for drawing up legislation that impacts daily on the lives of almost half a billion Europeans, as well as enforcing the rules already in place.

Its president - who like the commissioners is appointed rather than elected - has significant leverage to influence legislative priorities. The institution will have a budget of €138 billion in 2010.

Many also believe that any vote should be postponed until after the October 2 referendum in Ireland on the EU's new Lisbon Treaty of reforms, which will facilitate decision-making in the bloc and boost the parliament's powers.

Under the current rules, Mr Barroso would require a simple majority of the deputies who participate in the vote to be returned. Under the new treaty, he would require a majority of seats in the house regardless of who attends.