(STRASBOURG) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he supported a second mandate for European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso.

"You ask me if I have a candidate (for commission president), my answer is yes. You ask if he is sitting at the same table, my answer is yes," Sarkozy told a news conference with Barroso, to whom he was clearly referring.

Barroso, a former Portuguese prime minister, has presided over the European Commission since 2004 and his five-year term comes to an end next year.

Although he has never said publicly that he would seek another term, his aides have hinted that he would not refuse a second mandate.

Barroso said the decision of who would lead European Union's executive arm was "a decision to be taken by the different political parties" represented in the European Parliament.

Although the parliament has a say in who leads the commission, it is up to EU leaders to ultimately decide.

The commission is not like a national government that can rely on a majority from one party in parliament and it "will always be by definition a grand coalition," said Barroso.

Despite Sarkozy's support, French officials have privately voiced frustration at the commission's inaction in the face of soaring oil prices and especially its rejection of a French proposal to cut sales tax on fuel.

Despite persisting doubts about the plan, the commission has accepted to consider such an initiative.

In another gesture towards France, Barroso also leaned on reluctant commissioners to accept plans to increase aide to fishermen, many of whom have led protests against soaring fuel prices recently across southern Europe.

The commission also recently proposed to ease restrictions allowing reduced sales tax rates on certain locally provided services such as restaurants -- as France has long sought.

However, there remain important disputes between Brussels and Paris, especially on trade and the European Central Bank.

Barroso has frequently had to defend EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson and the ECB against criticism from Sarkozy.

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