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Asked about his stance in ongoing negotiations on EU top jobs, Macron said: "Europe needs strong personalities, it needs people with personal credibility and skills to fill the positions."
The French president reiterated that he had reservations about the Spitzenkandidatprocess, a procedure first used in 2014 whereby European political parties, ahead of European elections, appoint lead candidates for Commission president, with that position then going to the candidate of the party capable of forming a majority in the newly elected Parliament.
Asked specifically about Merkel, he said: "I won't speak for Angela Merkel." But Macron added "should she want it, I would support her. Of course. Because I think we need someone strong."
Merkel has so far stood by Germany's Manfred Weber, the Spitzenkandidat for the European People's Party, and has not indicated interest in the position for herself. [...]