The elite of European socialism met in Rome on Saturday March 2 to launch their campaign for the European elections on June 9. Luxembourg's Nicolas Schmit, current EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights, was officially designated as the socialist candidate for the Commission.
He will face Ursula von der Leyen, member of the European People's Party (EPP), given as a favorite for his own succession. The head of the French Socialist Party Olivier Faure said he feared seeing the far right gradually eating away at the peasant electorate.