The French president has his eyes on European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager, dubbed the “most powerful woman in the EU” to take the top job.
As a firm believer in the European project, Ms Vestager would be a perfect choice for Emmanuel Macron to plough ahead with his plans for further EU integration as he attempts to pick himself up from a humiliating fall from grace after quickly becoming the bloc’s golden boy.
Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade, a French MP for Macron’s En Marche movement, said: “Macron’s interest in Vestager is evident.
“She’s doing an excellent job, she’s the most visible pro-European, she’s a woman, she’s been successful on files that Macron cares about, and she has shaken things up in the EU on many topics.”
Jens Rohde, a Danish MEP from Ms Vestager’s Social-Liberal Party, Radikale Venstre , told politics news site Politico: “in my opinion she would be an excellent choice for Europe.”
He said: “Margrethe Vestager is top qualified as a politician, and I also think that it is time for Europe to find a president who is able to make our common project shine.
“Finally, it is time for a woman to take the position.”
At the politically tender age of 39, EU darling Emmanuel Macron shook up French politics, fighting off competition from nationalist leader Marine Le Pen, to rise to victory in the presidential elections this year.
In his bid to get into the Elysee Palace, the En Marche! Movement leader dubbed outlined his ambitious plans to rebuild the embattled European Union with the introduction of Brussels army and shared defence budget.
And now he will have to put “pressure on the Liberals” to see Liberal candidate Ms Vestager take power in order to make his job easier.
Speculation surrounding EU President Jean-Claude Juncker has been swirling since he stated that he would not seek a second term of office when his current reign comes to an end in 2019.
Should Mr Juncker decide to step down there are a number of likely possible contenders for the crown.
Latvian Valdis Dombrovskis is likely to throw his hat into the ring as he was also interested in running for the presidency in the past, but dropped out of the race just before the Congress in 2014.
Another possible candidate to succeed the Luxembourgish president is the European Commission First Vice-President, Dutch socialist Frans Timmermans.
While the EU’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has also been tipped for the top post, with speculation he is using the negotiations with Britain to prove himself as a leader.