The outgoing European Council President, Donald Tusk, said in Zagreb on Wednesday that he'd had enough of serving as the first European bureaucrat and that he would embark on the struggle against populists as soon as he became the leader of the European People's Party (EPP) group.

Tusk is the only candidate to succeed the EPP president Joseph Daul.

On one hand we have political parties of irresponsible populism, and on the other hand there is our party of responsible popularity, Tusk said in his address at the EPP Congress in Zagreb, which is being held on Wednesday and Thursday.

After five years I've had enough of being the main European bureaucrat. I am ready for the fight, I hope that you are also prepared, Tusk said. His term as European Council president expires at the end of this month.