Foreign Minister Tuomioja: Centre-right election result reflects choice of Commission chairman

Luxembourg, 14 June (Finnish News Agency STT)

One must take a realistic stand on the upcoming choice of the European
Commission chairman after the European Parliament elections, said Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs Erkki Tuomioja (soc dem) in Luxembourg Monday.

The centre-right has the upper hand, Tuomioja said.

However, Tuomioja, who is attending an EU foreign ministers meeting in
Luxembourg, said also that nothing has been lost yet, referring to his party chairman, Speaker of the Finnish Parliament Paavo Lipponen's chances for the chairmanship.

In Tuomioja's view, no single name has risen clearly above the others.

The European summit meeting is scheduled to choose a new chairman for the commission this Thursday.