Mr Bettel told CNBC the German politician would be a “dream candidate” for the coveted role after Jean-Claude Junker steps down. He said: “I love that idea, I’ve asked Angela Merkel several times. She would be a perfect candidate for the Council, for the Commission. “She’s got a global view, she’s a great leader and a strong personality. I really, really appreciate Angela Merkel.

“I really, really think she would be a great leader for Europe. We have some different candidates who are able but Angela for me would be a dream candidate.”

The comments come as French President Emmanuel Macron announced he would support Mrs Merkel when Mr Juncker leaves the position on November 1.

He told RTS: “If she were to want it, I would support her”.

Despite this, Mrs Merkel said she does not want the post and instead would rather quit politics altogether when she steps down as Chancellor in 2021.

She has had four terms in her current position.

But Mrs Merkel could replace Manfred Weber as the EPP candidate to succeed Mr Junker in the European Commission leadership race at the very last minute, claimed political expert Brian Maguire.

He told Euronews he believes she could jump into the European Commission leadership race at the last moment with the support of Mr Macron following the French President’s backing.

Mr Maguire said: “I got texts from a number of people at 7 o’clock this morning with screenshots of this saying ‘game over’.

“And you can see clearly from that interview as well this was a placed question, something that they were supposed to ask.

“I heard a number of different people in the last few days, including from the German car industry, saying that they will expect Merkel to be the Commission President.

“He looked like a placeholder, someone who would step back at the last moment and allow Angela Merkel or another person to step in.”

Rather than coming together to face the surge in populist and eurosceptic members in the EU, President Macron and Chancellor Merkel are believed to have been locking horns to decide who should succeed European Commissioner Jean-Claude Juncker once the Luxembourgish politician retires in November.

Mrs Merkel’s CDU has long been a prominent member of the European People’s Party which on Sunday lost 39 seats as the German Greens and populist parties saw a surge in support at the polls.

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