Future of Commission president is still unclear
The following letter has just been published in the European Voice:
The European Voice editorial ‘Next Commission president must be appointed in June’ (19-25 March) refers to “the centre-right governments , which are likely to have a majority of MEPs in the next European Parliament and therefore to appoint the next European Commission president.”
The European People’s Party (EPP) is still the favourite to be the biggest group in the next Parliament, even without the European Democrats, chiefly comprising UK Conservatives. However, this does not guarantee EPP members the Commission presidency, as they could probably be outvoted by the Socialists, Liberals and Greens. In any case, the decision may depend on a package of posts being agreed.
Even the Treaty of Lisbon says merely: “Taking into account the elections…”. But under the new treaty, the Parliament will have direct control over the appointment of the Commission president.
Stanley Crossick
Brussels
Rated 6th most influential EU blog by Waggener Edstrom. European of British nationality, for nearly 30 years Bruxellois. Deep believer in the principle of 'mutuality' and Monnet's axiom "Thought cannot be divorced from action", equivalent to Wang Yangming's "Zhixingheyi". 