 In 2007, it emerged that current Commission President José Manuel Barroso would likely seek a second term, which he confirmed on 19 July 2008, and he received the backing of French President Nicolas Sarkozy.In beginning to formalise the emerging party-political nature of the office, in early 2009 the centre-right People's Party backed Barroso as their candidate and the centre-left socialists opposed, however they did not put forward their own formal candidate.The national results as of 8 June 2009 are as follows.