Austrian chancellor will need powerful backing to push his agenda for Europe — and he has someone in mind
https://www.politico.eu/article/sebastian-kurz-the-gambler-spitzenkandidat/
Sebastian Kurz bets big on Manfred Weber
“We don’t need left-wing or right-wing extremists who want to destroy the EU" — Sebastian Kurz
“He’s managed to rebrand the party and move it a bit to the right while remaining anchored in the center with a pro-EU profile" — Jakov Devcic, think tank researcher
Manfred Weber
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manfred_Weber
Manfred Weber (born 14 July 1972) is a German politician who has served as Leader of the European People's Party in the European Parliament since 2014. He has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Germany since 2004. He is a member of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, part of the European People's Party.
In the 2003 Bavarian state elections, Weber became the state's youngest parliamentarian at the age of 29. Currently heading the European People's Party Group, he is the youngest group leader in the current Parliament as well as the youngest-ever group leader of the EPP. Weber is known as a moderate politician and power broker in EU politics.
https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/foto-manfred-weber-s-kandidatima-hdz-a-na-cvjetnom-trgu-uoci-velikog-skupa-u-ciboni-druzio-se-sa-suicom-resslerom-i-premijerom/8886911/
On 5 September 2018, Weber declared his intention to run for the position of President of the European Commission and was elected as the Spitzenkandidat of the EPP on 8 November