of France's Socialist Party have advocated for an open primary to determine the French vote on the PES candidate. They included former Prime Minister of France Michel Rocard and former vice-president of the European Parliament Pierre Moscovici. Candidates Mid-2013, the following leaders were considered to be possible presidential PES candidates for 2014: Martin Schulz – German politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic Party of Germany, since 2004 leader of the Socialists in the European Parliament Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the Parliament, since 2012 President of the European Parliament. Has been called "a person standing firm for our values, which express the real needs of the people" by PES President Sergei Stanishev in a press briefing at an earlier PES party council in June 2013. Is viewed as a clear front runner as of the beginning of the nomination process. José Luis Zapatero – former Prime Minister of Spain 2004 to 2011. Helle Thorning Schmidt – incumbent Prime Minister of Denmark since 2011. Frans Timmermans – incumbent Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2012. Pascal Lamy – incumbent Director-General of the World Trade Organization since 2005. References Party of European Socialists Party of European Socialists presidential primaries Primary elections Political party leadership elections Party of European Socialists presidential primaries Party of European Socialists presidential primaries