A Bayer is running for the seat of the head of the EU Commission. Who is Weber and what are the chances of the conservative Faction leader has? Bernd Riegert from Brussels.
Like the Great ones of the world politics is also Manfred Weber is no longer announces his candidacy personally in front of cameras and microphones. Very modern-via Twitter, shortly after the beginning of the group session of the Conservatives in the European Parliament, informed the 46-year-old low-Bayer: “I am applying as a top candidate of the European people’s party for the European elections, to become President of the European Commission.”
The first Tweet came out in English, then in German, then French. “There is no more must be so. Europe needs more democracy”, wrote Weber, the core statements of his candidacy. Of the studied environmental engineering, speaks no French and passable English. Some members see this as a major shortcoming, because in the past it was Tradition that the chief of the 38,000 officers comprehensive European Commission, English and French should be proficient in addition to his mother tongue.
Manfred Weber had taken over chairmanship for 2014 of the largest group in the European Parliament. He is considered a man of the compensation of the holds along with the more quiet tones of the “flea circus” of the Conservatives. The spectrum of the 219 members, ranging from right-wing populist Hungary to the more liberal Belgians. Weber is with his pro-European views, also from his own party, the Bavarian CSU. In the last European election campaign in 2014, it wanted to establish him as a top candidate. In the issue of Migration, he has manoeuvred skilfully between the Position of the German Chancellor and CDU leader Angela Merkel and the views of the Bavarian CSU Chairman and interior Minister Horst Seehofer. The eleven Hungarian EU-opponents of the Fidesz party, has kept Manfred Weber in the group, despite massive criticism from many sides.
With a tailwind from Berlin: Merkel (re.) can live with Weber
Merkel for Weber
In the management bodies of the Bavarian CSU, the Catholic Weber is firmly entrenched. He has won the backing of the German Chancellor for his candidacy. Angela Merkel would not support him, would be Weber’s chances of winning the European elections and to be at the end of a complicated procedure, the President of the EU Commission, in fact, equal to Zero. Allegedly, the German head of government and President of the French Republic have agreed that in the coming year a German takes over the Administration of the EU and a Frenchman President of the European Central Bank. Officially the Chancellor to staff the carousel in Brussels has not commented, however.
How many European politicians, Manfred Weber, has the Problem that it does not know outside of the Brussels bubble, and of his constituency in Bavaria, too many voters in Germany, Finland or Cyprus. Many representatives from smaller EU States also doubt whether it is independent of the Person Manfred Weber would be a good idea to pick up a German at the top of the Commission. The largest member state that pays the most money into the EU budget, could be perceived by the small States in the EU as being too dominant. Since 1967, no longer German has led the EU Commission. At the time, it was Walter hallstein, the relinquished print in France on a renewed candidacy. It is uncertain how the populist coalition government would respond in Italy to a German candidate. After all, both the rights Lega as well as the movement 5 stars Germany and Angela Merkel to make all sorts of crises.
Successor and predecessor? Group chief Weber (li.) in the European Parliament with Commission chief Juncker
Still a long way
Manfred Weber has made in the Bavarian regional party-the CSU career, by the Chairman of the Junge Union in the district Council in the state Parliament. He founded in 1996 after studying a consulting firm for environmental technology, whose managing Director he is, according to information on his Parliament website still. In 2004, he came to a short Station in the Bavarian Landtag as a member of the European Parliament to Strasbourg. First of all, he fremdelte a little with the functioning of the European Parliament and led the way. But then Manfred Weber has distinguished itself in domestic issues in his group and eventually rose to be its Chairman. However, he has never led a government office or a public authority. His critics like to point out that the last Commission President, Juncker, Barroso and Prodi were all heads of government and therefore the business in the European Council, the representation of the member countries, knew.
Manfred Weber is the first conservative politician who has thrown his hat in the Ring. More are likely to follow before the Congress of the European people’s party at the beginning of November winner will be chosen in Helsinki, the official top candidate for the European elections. It is probable that the French Brexit-will compete under dealer Michel Barnier, the former Finnish head of government, Alexander Stubb and former Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny.
What is Macron?
Even if the German Weber should prevail in his party’s family, there are still many more hurdles on the way to the EU top. The future composition of the European Parliament, which is determined at the end of may 2019, is due to the growing number of right-wing populists in Europe are still very uncertain. Probably not as in the past, the Conservatives and social Democrats will be able to put together a majority. There is a third group is needed, which could then support maybe a completely different candidate. The German social Democrats have already declared that they would not vote Manfred Weber, if he wanted to be President of the Commission.
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Manfred Weber, in the DW-Interview to the refugee policy (2015)
It is also unclear how the new party of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, the “En Marche”, will behave in the future European Parliament. Macron insisted that there should be no automaticity between top candidates and the President of the Commission. The right of proposal for the office-namely, after the Brexit 27 EU heads of state and heads of government. Manfred Weber is at the very beginning of a long election campaign with an uncertain outcome. His chances to inherit in fact, the previous Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who for 20 years was head of government and four languages are spoken, are rather mediocre. At the end as a consolation prize could be in for another high office: the President of the European Parliament.