Brussels, 04/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - Jean-Claude Juncker has said that, depending on the outcome of the general election to be held in Luxembourg on Sunday 7 June, he would be prepared to stand down as finance minister. At his party's election meeting on Wednesday evening, Juncker, who, in all likelihood will be returned as Prime Minister of Luxembourg, said that if the Christian Social Party (PCS/CSV) won the election, he would be quite happy for current Treasury (which is responsible for banking and finance) and Budget Minister Luc Frieden to succeed him as Finance Minister. The latest polls show this is a likely scenario, but such an eventuality would not jeopardise Juncker's place as President of the Eurogroup.
The PCS is favourite and is likely to remain the country's largest party after the election, ahead of the Socialist Workers Party (PSOL/POSL), which forms part of the present government, and the Democratic Party (PD/DP), which was part of the government between 1999 and 2004. If the governing coalition were to be re-elected and the finance portfolio were to go to the PCS, then Frieden might very well be appointed to that post, but this would not result in Juncker's leaving the Eurogroup, those close to him have said. If all goes as has been forecast, Juncker “will stay in the Eurogroup”, a Luxembourg government source told EUROPE on Thursday 4 June. This source said that Juncker's being part of the Eurogroup was an issue for the internal organisation of the government, and it may be decided to allow him to continue to sit on this informal body. Despite the misgivings he was said to have, Juncker does, indeed, intend to see out the two-year term of office to which he was elected in September 2008. He is “still very keen” to continue as President of the Eurogroup, one of his close allies said. (A.B./transl.rt)