The heads of state and government want to make, at their summit proposals for the composition of the EU top positions is a difficult decision. Christoph Hasselbach reports from Brussels.
The different expectations of the new EU top-level staff are unlikely to bring it all under a hat, Because there should be a Balance between the North and the South, West and East, between large and small, new and old member States, the various political camps are to be taken into account, women and men are almost equally represented. And then probably the most important point of dispute in the occupation of the post of the President of the Commission: it Is one of the top candidates for the European Parliament?
The German Manfred Weber as Chairman and top candidate of the shrunken, but still the strongest group of the European people’s party would therefore have the greatest opportunities. He is also supported by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Others, such as France’s President, Emmanuel Macron, but the top candidate principle in question. “We need the best Team for Europe,” said Macron, on his arrival in Brussels. This Team need “the ability, ambition and credibility”. Without mentioning Weber, has Macron criticized several times indirectly, that the German has no government experience. On the other hand, Macron said it was a “mistake,” the question of the tip would be to make the candidate to a power struggle between Germany and France.
A German word makes a career
However, no matter who the heads of government to propose the candidate must then be of the majority in the European Parliament. From self-respect, the Parliament wants to keep the top candidate principle high. On the other hand, Weber would have to rely on the support of other groups, and it is by no means certain that he would get a majority.
Manfred Weber has the support of Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron finds him too inexperienced
Merkel said on arrival, both the Union and the SPD supported the principle of the top candidate. There was a need for “a common solution in respect to the Council and the Parliament”. The German word “top candidate” set, meanwhile, in almost all of the in Brussels, the used languages as a loanword by, you can hear it from English to French or Croatian-speaking politicians.
The former German foreign Minister and SPD Chairman Sigmar Gabriel has suggested, meanwhile, Merkel himself as the President of the Commission, because it is currently one of the few personalities who defend the EU’s weight in the world. Merkel, however, has already rejected.
However, it is not only the successor of the President of the Commission, but also to the President of the Council, the President of the Parliament, the President of the European Central Bank and the future high representative for foreign Affairs. The award usually works according to the principle: How you me so I you. Well possible that the heads of state and government at the summit to find no solution for the personal tableau, and a special summit will be in need of. The should, if possible, before the inaugural session of Parliament on 2. July to take place. “A papal election often goes faster,” said the Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar commented on the difficult personnel decision.
Eastern Europeans brakes on climate protection
Also in dispute is the second major issue is, here in Brussels, the climate policy. You had pushed in the European elections as THE major concerns in the center and the Green strong voice profits. The heads of state and government want to respond. In the final document from the goal of a climate-neutral economy by 2050 at the latest the speech. The CO2 emissions should decrease in the case, dramatically, it would be a far-reaching farewell to coal, Oil, and Gas.
The Coal-rich Poland wants to hesitate for a phase-out of fossil fuels, in addition to
Behind the ambitious goal of France and Germany among others. Merkel admitted that this was also for the Federal Republic of difficult: Germany has businesses up to 2030 “additional efforts”. Merkel was years ago, with their ambitious goals, as the “climate Chancellor”, but accused for a long time, they have abandoned the climate policy ambition.
Climate neutrality within 30 years would, in any case, a tremendous feat of strength. Countries in the East of the EU goes too fast. Poland, for example, is still very much coal-dependent, and occurs on the brake. The Visegrad States of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic want to be represented at the summit in this issue a common Position, Hungary’s announced Prime Minister Viktor Orban. It is already clear that they will try to water down the target..
The environmental organization Greenpeace, on the other hand, even the target year of 2050 is too little ambitious. She had projected during the night on the façade of the Commission building the earth as a bomb with a burning fuse, to the saying: “climate emergency. Time is running out. Is now.” According to the activists of Greenpeace and other groups, should be the EU 2040 climate-neutral.