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The Conference of EP’s party presidents, having convened to acknowledge the results, sent a letter to the Council recommending their choice of Jean-Claude Junker as the candidate of the party having won the largest number of seats. Mr. Van Rompuy, President of the Council took duly note of the wish expressed by the Parliament, in full compliance with the terms of the Lisbon Treaty. After this most gentlemanly exchange, the Heads of State and Government sat down to dinner last Tuesday in Brussels to deal with more serious matters.
The meeting was intended to exchange views over the selection of the next Commission President who must be confirmed by the European Parliament. In addition to the results of the vote which had duly "been taken into account", one should expect the Council to consider the following criteria: the candidate’s competencies (that goes without saying?), the possibility of securing a qualified majority within the Council (a major departure from the previous unanimity requirement), achieving a subtle equilibrium in the distribution of other key positions (Presidency of the European Council, Foreign Affairs High Representative and other key Commission portfolios), and gender (a woman would look pretty good!).
In all the foregoing, there is nothing really new liable to stimulate the interest of the citizen. Except that all the considerations that I have enumerated are secondary to what is really at stake and remains unsaid: indeed, there is a major and fierce institutional battle being fought between the Council and the Parliament unfolding around the appointment of the Commission President which far outweighs questions concerning personalities or backroom deals to distribute power between Member States. The outcome will determine nothing less than who will have the power to appoint the President of the Commission for the foreseeable future.
One should therefore expect the Council to do everything in its power to avoid the appointment of Jean-Claude Junker, regardless of his merits, because it would set a precedent that would be impossible to ignore.
Paul N Goldschmidt, Director, European Commission (ret); Member of the Advisory Board of the Thomas More Institute
Tel: +32 (02) 6475310 / +33 (04) 94732015 / Mob: +32 (0497) 549259
E-mail: paul.goldschmidt@skynet.be / Web: www.paulngoldschmidt.eu