Luxembourg's outgoing Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, does not want to be the top candidate of the European People's Party in the European elections next year.

He made the statement in a televised interview broadcast on Swiss Television SFR1 on Sunday in which he also added he does not wish to succeed EU Commission President Barroso.

The 50-minute interview was part of the programme “NZZ-Standpunkte”, focusing on “Jean-Claude Juncker – Why Europe will not fail”.

Mr Juncker, who was last month ousted from Luxembourg's next government by the formation of a coalition between the Greens, the DP and LSAP, said he wanted a calm Europe but no pause.