Brussels, 05/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - The president of the European Commission has said nothing about his future intentions, a spokesman from that institution said on Friday 5 April. The day before, José Manuel Barroso himself had said his term of office runs until 31 October 2014 and that he will take a decision as to whether or not he will run for another term when that time comes.
The spokesman went on to say: “Barroso wishes to focus on his current mandate as there is a great deal to do during his current term of office”. He gave as examples the economic crisis to be managed, the explosion of unemployment in Europe, banking and financial reform and consolidation of the eurozone. The Commission will also make proposals for improving the way the treaties function, prior to the European elections.
Six weeks before the European elections scheduled for 22 to 25 May 2014, at the latest, the major European political parties are expected to propose a name for the Commission presidency on their list. The treaty in fact provides for the European Council to take account of the result of European elections by designating its candidate to head the Commission, who will then be elected by simple majority during European Parliament plenary session.
Within the EPP, names doing the rounds include Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis and Commissioner Viviane Reding. The EPP does not seem to be contemplating the possibility of a third term for Barroso. The real discussion phase within the EPP Group at the Parliament over the name of the leader should begin early 2014. Traditionally, “Those who have already held the post of head of government are called upon”, it is stressed at the EPP.
The Party of European Socialists (PES) may suggest the current president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz.
The Group of the Alliance of Liberal and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) may decide on a name on 28 November 2013 during the ALDE Annual Congress. The president of the ALDE Group, Guy Verhofstadt, is often cited as a possibility. The former Belgian prime minister had already been approached by a number of countries to be named for the post of Commission president in 2004 and 2009.
Article 17, paragraph 7, of the treaty stipulates: “Taking into account the elections to the European Parliament and after having held the appropriate consultations, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall propose to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the Commission. This candidate shall be elected by the European Parliament by a majority of its component members. If he does not obtain the required majority, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall within one month propose a new candidate who shall be elected by the European Parliament following the same procedure”. (LC/transl.jl)