The battle to choose the next head of the European Commission intensifies today when José Manuel Barroso will be nominated formally to keep the job, setting EU governments up in a straight fight with MEPs.

Fredrik Reinfeldt, the Prime Minister of Sweden, which is holder of the rotating EU presidency, has been stung into action by the refusal of Socialist, Liberal and Green MEPs to hold a vote on a new term for Mr Barroso at next week’s opening session of the European Parliament.

He is understood to be annoyed that MEPs ignored his warning that blocking Mr Barroso would undermine the task of preparing a common EU position for climate change talks in Copenhagen in December.

But an alliance of MEPs refused to be cajoled into an early vote and have demanded to see a programme of work from Mr Barroso for the next five years.

Mr Reinfeldt sent a written request to European capitals on Monday to formalise the nomination by midday today, provided that none of them objects. The idea is to underline that Mr Barroso is the only candidate for the 27 EU states and to shut the door on any rivals emerging over the summer.

The Swedish leader is keen to avoid a prolonged struggle over the post after the navel-gazing of five years trying to pass the Lisbon treaty, the latest incarnation of the rejected EU constitution. This will be subjected to a second referendum in the Irish Republic on October 2 after guarantees were agreed on Irish sovereignty.

But it will be at least September before the European Parliament holds its key vote on whether to reappoint Mr Barroso, the former Portuguese Prime Minister, for a second term running the EU executive body, which proposes all new European laws.

This will dismay Mr Barroso’s main supporters — including Britain — as it means the post is decided at the same time as two new jobs: EU foreign minister and president of the European Council, both created under the Lisbon treaty.

Influential nations eyeing up the key posts may view the European Commission presidency as a consolation prize if they miss out, putting Mr Barroso’s re-election at risk.

Some countries are particularly annoyed with President Sarkozy, who delayed supporting Mr Barroso, thereby giving MEPs encouragement to rebel. Mr Sarkozy held out on full formal backing as he was angling for a French politician to become the next Internal Markets Commissioner — a commitment Mr Barroso refused to give.

Mr Reinfeldt is putting a brave face on the messy start to the Swedish presidency, insisting that he has done all he can do to ensure stability in the EU at a time when a new Parliament has just been elected and a new Commission is due to be appointed on November 1.

Aides to Mr Barroso are privately frustrated that opposition to his reappointment is being led by blocs who fared badly in the European Parliament elections. The centre-right grouping is not certain that it can muster enough votes to force him through next week and decided not to start the new parliamentary session in open battle with the rest of the chamber.

Times Recommends

• Violent video games won’t corrupt
• Pope Benedict XVI: Alma Mater
• Chávez should know what’s good for him