27/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday the Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt informed the press that he would not be looking for another job and wanted to continue his work after 13 June. The press had asked him whether he would be a candidate for the presidency of the European Commission (the Irish presidency is expected to announce a candidate after the European elections). Verhofstadt's name has cropped up again among the favourites to succeed Romano Prodi. The Independent reports that Tony Blair would now like to stand, whereas the Corriere della Sera believes Jacques Chirac said to the Spanish prime minister Luis Zapatero, during the enlargement celebrations on 1 May in Dublin, "Alright, it's agreed? We send Verhofstadt to the Commission presidency?".
European Election 2004