Pedro Santana Lopes genomineerd als nieuwe premier (en)

Pedro Santana Lopes, the mayor of Lisbon, will succeed José Manuel Barroso as Prime Minister of Portugal after he was nominated by the ruling Social Democrats on Sunday to take over the post.

However, Mr Santana Lopes' reputation as a populist leader with eurosceptic leanings, have drawn criticism from his own Social Democrat party as well as from rival parties, the FT reports.

The centre-left Socialists, the main opposition party, had called for an early election after Mr Barroso resigned as premier halfway through his four-year term to head the European Commission.

But, on Friday, President Jorge Sampaio rejected these calls, and instead asked the ruling Social Democrats to form a new government.

Mr Barroso was chosen by EU leaders as the next head of the EU executive last month, but he still needs the approval of the majority of the European Parliament.

Last week senior figures in the European Parliament criticised Mr Barroso for stepping down as Portuguese prime minister before his candidacy for Commission president has been approved by MEPs.