Bluntly dismissing questions over media reports that both Hungary and the UK would likely not support his bid to become commission chief, Juncker said, "I don't care. The [EU] treaty is clear; the European council has to take into account the results of the European elections."
EU national leaders, "are free", added the former Luxembourg prime minister, to vote how they want in the council. "It's up to them to decide".
Juncker said he would not at this time get sucked into discussions with heads of state and government over the so-called Spitzenkandidat (top candidate) process that the new commission president should be chosen from the political group with the largest number of seats. "I'm not on my knees here, I won the elections."
Although the 59 year old looked slightly weary under the glare of heavy spotlights in the EPP headquarters' tightly packed press room, Juncker made it clear several times that he intends to become commission president and had not campaigned in the hope of picking up another senior EU post such as that of EU council president.
"I'm not on my knees here, I won the elections"
"I've said at least a thousand times over the last few weeks that I've been campaigning for commission president. [Now we] have to have a qualified majority vote in council and a majority in the European parliament."
Pressed on whether he still had the backing of German chancellor Angela Merkel, Juncker admitted that he had spoken to her overnight. "I know what I know. I have spoken to chancellor Merkel and other [national leaders]. But I'm not a spokesperson for the council, although Angela Merkel's position is clear."
However, current EU council president Herman Van Rompuy has been busy in the wings over the last few months, downplaying the importance of the Spitzenkandidat process in determining the next commission president.
Behind the scenes, EU leaders are nervous about setting a precedent over José Manuel Barroso's replacement that could dilute their privilege to choose who they want.
Whether Juncker gets the backing of EU leaders is still unclear as is the possibility that the EPP group in the European parliament will form a majority coalition. Both the Socialist group Spitzenkandidat Martin Schulz and Liberal candidate Guy Verhofstadt have so far refused to concede defeat, arguing that they are potentially in a better position to create a working majority grouping than Juncker is.
With a 'grand coalition' of sorts between parliament's biggest political groups looking more like a potential solution, events are expected to unfold quickly over the next few days, with parliament's political groups meeting on Tuesday to start formal negotiations.