Barroso's Departure Prompts Fierce Debate

Opposition and government parties have clashed over how the Brussels-bound Portuguese Prime Minister should be replaced. President Jorge Sampaio now has to decide between conflicting calls for fresh elections or the appointment of a successor to José Manuel Durao Barroso from within his own Social Democratic Party (PSD). The Portuguese prime minister was formally selected by EU leaders to head the European Commission following a short half-hour meeting in Brussels on Tuesday evening. According to sources quoted by Publico, Barroso could step down as soon as this weekend, presenting the Portuguese state with an unexpected and immediate crisis. The opposition center-left party has hinted that it wants fresh elections, buoyed by its victory over the PSD at the European elections. (EUobserver.com)