José Manuel Barroso wins second term

Mavi Boncuk |September 17, 2009
José Manuel Barroso wins second term as European Commission President

Votes from Conservative MEPs helped to give José Manuel Barroso a clear mandate yesterday for a second term as President of the European Commission. The former Portuguese Prime Minister won an absolute majority in the European Parliament despite strong attacks from the Left, who accused him of failing to do enough in his first five-year term to regulate financial markets and banks or to save jobs during the recession. Mr Barroso won with the backing of 382 of the 718 MEPs who voted, leaving him in a strong position to run the body that initiates all EU legislation.

To win over the crucial swing votes of European Liberals and Greens, Mr Barroso promised to create three EU commissioners — for fundamental rights, migration and climate change — when the body is reappointed in the autumn.

Barroso addresses Turkish parliament in Ankara | April 10, 2008
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