Brussels - Jose Manuel Barroso moved closer Friday to obtaining a second mandate as head of the European Union executive in Brussels after he received the key backing of French President Nicolas Sarkozy at a summit of EU leaders.

"I have always liked the way he works, and I have not changed my opinion ... I will not be ashamed to support him," French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.

Sarkozy had previously appeared less enthusiastic about backing Barroso, a conservative and former prime minister of Portugal.

However, Sarkozy suggested delaying Barroso's appointment until after an October referendum in Ireland, which advocates hope will pave the way for new rules governing the way the European Commission is made up to come into force.

Barroso can also rely on the support of British Premier Gordon Brown, who heads a Labour government, as well as Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, a socialist.

"We have always supported him as a president of the European Commission, he has been a good president for the interests of Spain," Zapatero said.

On Thursday, the European Union's conservative People's Party (EPP) also backed Barroso at a meeting attended by Germany's influential chancellor, Angela Merkel.

"Particularly in this crisis, Europe needs clarity and continuity," EPP Deputy Chairman Peter Hintze told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa.

The EPP is the biggest group in the European Parliament and had already backed Barroso ahead of the EU's October summit.

According to EU rules, the president of the European Commission, whose current mandate expires in November, is selected by the EU's 27 leaders.

Barroso, who turns 53 on Monday, has acted as commission president since 2004, overseeing an institution which employs more than 20,000 people. (dpa)