Frans Timmermans is indeed launching himself in the race for nomination as a Spitzenkandidat. He intends to run as the leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES) and as the leader of the Labour Party (PvdA) at the national level. This information, which the Dutchman was to announce officially in the late afternoon of Wednesday 10 October in his hometown of Heerlen, has been confirmed by several different sources.
Frans Timmermans, 57, has 4 children and speaks 6 languages (Dutch, English, French, German, Russian and Italian). He was Minister for European Affairs and Minister for Foreign Affairs in his country before being appointed First Vice-President of the European Commission by Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014. He is currently in charge of ‘Better Regulation’, Inter-institutional Relations, respect for the rule of law and respect for the Charter of Fundamental Rights within the Commission.
According to the Politico website, Timmermans has in any case received the support of the president of Germany's SPD, Andrea Nahles.
Timmermans is therefore the second politician to express his wish to be head of the list for the PES in the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), after Slovak Maroš Šefčovič on 17 September (see EUROPE 12097). However, neither of the two candidates has held a post of prime minister in his country, as is customary in practice. PES candidacies are open until Thursday 18 October. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)