European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso today won support of the European Parliament for his second five-year term. The 736-seat assembly voted 382-219 with 117 abstentions to elect Barroso as president of the new commission, giving him a much-needed absolute majority. The election of the commission president is currently governed by rules of the Nice Treaty, which require a simple majority. But an absolute majority of 369 votes as required by the stalled Lisbon Treaty would give Barroso a strong mandate for the next five years. Barroso needs to be formally appointed by the 27 heads of state and government of the European Union (EU) members.