The hammering of nails into the coffin was almost audible on Wednesday, when critics of the EU's most high-profile figure threatened to throw him into the dustbin of history.

By Vanessa Mock in Brussels

There were glimpses of panic in the Commission President's eyes and a shrill tone in his voice as sought to convince hundreds of political opponents that he should get a second chance. José-Manuel Barroso's future is on a knife's edge and depends largely on his performance during gruelling rounds of hearings at the European Parliament, whose members have to vote on his re-appointment.

Mr Barroso, who steers the EU's executive body, insists that his experience and drive make him the ideal man to lead Europe through the economic storms. But as they emerged from the debating chamber, many Socialist MEPs were strident in their criticism.

Not good enough
"I wish Mr Barroso had shown the same energy in the last five years as he did today when he was defending himself and fighting for his survival," said Dutch MEP Thijs Berman (PvdA). "I don't see why I should support this man who has shown so little ambition and vision as Commission President."
"Not good enough."

The Socialist Group President, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, said he had asked Mr Barroso directly whether he would present a new recovery plan, but that "I did not get an answer. It was not good enough. We have 22 million unemployed and soon we will have 30 million. We need more than broad commitments and big words. Mr Barroso must do better."

No one Commission President has ever had to fight so hard for their political future as Mr Barroso, a former Portuguese leader who clinched the EU post five years ago after the front-runner left the race. A strong communicator, he enjoys the backing of EU governments and the main political faction at the Parliament, the European People's Party, but he must also sway Liberals and Socialists to be sure of a majority when his nomination is put to a vote, most probably next week.

"It will not be easy for him," said Annemie Neyts, a Belgian Liberal MEP, though she added that her group still had not made up its mind. In order to clinch a majority, Mr Barroso faces a near-impossible juggling act: he must win over both extremes of the political spectrum by promising to both protect the free-market as well as the "social model", with provisions for pensions and benefits for workers.

Slim majority
Barroso's battle is also part of a wider political game: it is an ideal chance for the oft-forgotten parliament to flex its muscle by turning itself into the king-maker. The parliament already delayed the crunch-vote before the summer, turning Mr Barroso's nomination into a cliff-hanger.

In the corridors of the parliament, the bets were mostly that Mr Barroso would win, albeit by a slender margin: "He has the support of all the governments in the EU, so many MEPs will vote for him because they will have been told to do so. So he'll get in with a very slim majority," said Stéphane Le Foll, a French Socialist.

If he does get a second chance at life next week, Mr Barroso will have to work very hard to assert his authority. And he will thank his stars that there was no credible challenger around.

(Photo: ANP)