Geremek faces tough battle with Spanish socialist in showdown for top EU job

Bronisław Geremek from the Freedom Union (UW) will battle it out with Spanish socialist Josep Borell today in a leadership contest to see who will head the European Parliament. In the secret vote he will be supported by most of the Polish deputies, but that still might not be enough to secure him success. Yesterday the Civic Platform (PO), the biggest Polish party in the Parliament, guaranteed its support for Geremek. He will also be backed by, among others, a group of 88 liberals and some independent deputies. This, however, may not be enough to brake an unofficial agreement made between the European Peasants Party (EPL) and the European Socialists Party (EPS) who want to share the function among themselves. Their first head would be Borell and followed by Hans-Gert Poettering, from Germany. Among those Polish parties who are not supporting Geremek are Polish Family League (LPR) and Polish Peasants Party (PSL). (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1; Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 8) A.F.