Jean-Claude Juncker elected President of European Commission

The Luxembourg politician calls to carry out structural reforms in the EU.

Former Luxembourg PM Jean-Claude Juncker nominated by the European People's Party received 422 votes on July 15 in Strasbourg, Reuters reports.

In his speech before the ballot, Juncker said about strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and structural reforms.

Deutsche Welle cites the Luxembourg politician as saying that the EU had rolled back.

Junker presented a ten-point plan to boost economic growth and create new jobs in the EU. According to him, public and private investments were the best way to tackle unemployment. He plans to mobilise up to 300 billion euros in investment in real economy over the next three years. He promises to introduce the programme by February 2015.

Juncker emphasised the crisis would end when full employment was reached. “We need an economic government, and which we will create it,” he said.

A part of Juncker's speech was in German, “the language of the world champions”.

Juncker will succeed incumbent Portugal's Jose Manuel Barroso on November 1.

Photo: Reuters