In the fight for the replacement of the top jobs in the EU may be approaching a solution. The top candidates of the European Parliament should play a role. A special summit in Brussels wants to bring clarification.
One thing is clear – this is not a peak of the good mood. Because the leaders of the larger EU member countries are fresh from the G20 Meeting in Osaka, a tiring and result of poor political Show. In Brussels it is the most difficult of all problems: human resources policy. Five leadership positions at the top of the EU need to be re-occupied, and for months, will fight it. In addition, there is a need to convince the heads of government of the member countries, not in Japan, from a solution that was discussed there perhaps.
Now, however, top candidates?
The most important Job is, first of all, the next President of the EU Commission, the largest and most powerful authority in Europe. The German CSU-man and EPP chief Manfred Weber is touring for months the main cities, and declared that he had Sole claim to the Job. The many EU leaders see it differently. And the weak performance of the Conservatives in the European elections has strengthened his Position.
As Angela Merkel, was now being questioned once more in Osaka to the chances of “their” candidate, she replied equally cryptic and clearly: “I am pleased that this seems to be a possibility that this can be done with the basis of the top candidate, and then let’s see what comes out of it. In any case, the top candidates are part of the solution”. This means that both Manfred Weber, the candidate of the conservative EPP group, as well as Frans Timmermans, the candidate of the social Democrats, part of a package to be a solution. The only question is, who gets what office.
From the very beginning, an opponent of Weber: the President of France, Macron, here with Chancellor Merkel
Background of the dispute, the question of who decides on the composition of the most powerful authorities of the heads of the EU: The Council of governments or the European Parliament. The latter has invented the so-called leading candidates, nominated by the major groups, to take the lead. The assertion that this is tremendously democratic, is not yet quite clear. Because what has to do a conservative Bulgarian voters with the appointment of Manfred Weber? In case of doubt, he does not know him. That should change only with the establishment of transnational lists for the next European elections.
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, however, is a staunch opponent of the top candidate-process, because he does not want to relinquish Power over the appointments. Besides, he was from the beginning an opponent of the German candidate, Manfred Weber. Too little experience, a lightweight, was called the judgment of Paris. At the last summit meeting in Brussels, the situation seemed completely procedure. Because even in the Parliament, none of the candidates could get a majority for themselves. The political bearing blocked each other. After Osaka, but a solution seems to be emerging – if the other leaders accept you.
The suggestion of the Chancellor of Osaka suggest that you could have moved the EPP to make a Deal with the social Democrats. To win the Green party as the majority purchasers, the votes of these three groups for the election of a President of the European Commission. While Merkel made no mention of the Macrons En-Marche-party crisp the liberal group. If your Plan works, it could avoid the Frenchman and his staff plans. Because the French President threw in after the last summit in Brussels, all of the top candidates, and thus also the liberal Dane Margrethe Vestager, alike in the ton. Not all were fit, had Macron explained what took him even the own people are evil.
Democrat Frans Timmermans has social meanwhile, back chances?
The wonderful resurrection of Frans Timmermans?
In the last European elections, the social Democrats lost votes sharply and landed on a shrunken second place. Its candidate, Frans Timmermans, has shown as Vice-President of the Commission is already the backbone, five languages are spoken, and from the Netherlands comes, what is in the EU is a Plus. But his Position has long been regarded as hopeless. The back cover gets Timmermans now by the Spanish head of government Pedro Sanchez, who, after 15 years of conservative rule, a “change of policy in the Commission presidency” calls. Also, in the meantime, the Scandinavian countries of Finland, Sweden and Denmark to be ruled again social democratic.
So there must be a Deal. It would be possible that Timmermanns could get the Commission and Weber for the Job of President of Parliament. Thus the tip would be get candidate process in principle. Angela Merkel said that there would be no “inter-institutional conflict”, not a long dispute between the Parliament and the Council of governments.
What comes in the package? After two men and two women must be found. About another conservative Ex-Prime Minister for the Council of governments? Because you would have to make the EPP more than one Items of the business. Against Timmermans speaks, however, is that the group of Visegrad countries has been made formally against him to appeal. To strongly, he has tried with you, enforce the rule of law.
With his choice, in principle, would also be against Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia is possible: You will need a qualified majority in 22 countries, and 60% of the population.
The cheerful candidate carousel
Some observers of the Brussels scene to believe, the whole Plan could be a lot more tricky. If you leave Timmermans, namely, the governments fail, will may be the way for the Danish Vestager, the enforcement of strong competition Commissioner has impressed the EU. Or is it the conservative Frenchman and Brexit could come negotiator, Michel Barnier, of course, to pacify Macron. Or is it all coming quite different. For the case of a good dozen candidates still in the race, namely, pretty much everyone in the EU has had a top job, or has:
Candidate carousel: Vestager, Barnier, Georgieva, Altmaier, currants, Lagarde, Plenkovic and von der Leyen
The German economy Minister Peter Altmaier and Minister of defence Ursula von der Leyen. The Romanian President, Klaus Johannis, and of the Croatian head of government, Andrej Plenkovic. The world Bank Director Kristalina Georgiev and IMF Chief Christine Lagarde. And so on. In Anglo-Saxon Newspapers is scattered also still the rumor, we try to move, Angela Merkel, a change from Berlin to Brussels. At the end needs to feel someone, who is not named on this list, almost offended.
What makes impression of the usual political horse-trading is actually the battle for the direction of the EU in the next five years. The President of the EU Commission is, rather, a head of a public authority as a real head of government. But he applies the rules of the EU and sets the tone and direction of the daily politics. There is a difference whether someone, for the principles of the rule of law, stands up for human rights and liberal values or not. In the night from Sunday to Monday is expected to decide in which direction the convoy is marching.