London, 02/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in London between 27 and 30 November, members from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) launched their staunchly pro-European campaign focussed on economic competitiveness and business but also seeking to reform the way in which the EU and Commission function.
Their congress took the form of a massive brainstorming session for the 1,000 or so delegates in the UK capital. It brought adoption of the party manifesto for the forthcoming elections, and the re-election of Graham Watson as president of the party, with more than 90% of the votes.
This congress, rather unusual insofar as it took place in London while Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron is stepping up his criticism of European rules, particularly those on free movement, also provided an opportunity for the two currently declared candidates for the post of Commission president to officially break their silence. Two very different approaches were adopted. The one by the Belgian president of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament, Guy Verhofstadt, was more flamboyant. The other, of current Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn, was more reserved. His candidacy for the EP and the key post in the campaign was also made official in a press release from his home party.
On Friday, during their respective speeches, Verhofstadt, said that he was still obsessed but “not by federalism; obsessed by Europe's lack of influence” and by an EU that adopts positions on the main challenges in a globalised world, “not on the olive oil in restaurants!” He criticised British Eurosceptics, especially the UKIP of Nigel Farage, whose salary at the European Parliament he considers as, “one of the biggest wastes in the EU”. Verhofstadt also highlighted that, if the United Kingdom left the EU, there would be no economic benefit. He also said that remaining in the EU did not mean staying in the EU as it currently exists. He called on his fellow Liberals to believe in the EU and urged them to create the major surprise by winning the European elections.
Olli Rehn made a speech worthy of the European commissioner he still is and started off by pointing out that, although the threats to the eurozone have disappeared, we cannot “claim that all is well”, as unemployment remains concerning. He stressed the need to continue with reforms, competitiveness and the promotion of free-trade agreements. Borrowing the words of José Manuel Barroso, Rehn added that the EU should in future be “big on big things, small on smaller things”.
It was his trade counterpart, Belgium's Karel De Gucht, also present in London, who paid the greatest tribute to the Finnish commissioner. Although the Finn has had to play the“bad cop”, “the formula applied has been the right one”, he said. “When we see growth taking off again, we have to say that the answer provided was the right one”, De Gucht continued.
As the process has been opened, the protagonists will meet again in London on 1 February to decide on the candidate who will lead the European battle. Under the commissioners' code of conduct, Rehn will be able to take electoral leave during campaign time. This unpaid electoral leave may start no later than the final session of the EP, in this case in late March 2014. The president of the Commission, who has been informed of this, will also be obliged to state whether his campaign work is compatible with the post of commissioner, as Rehn's portfolio is currently of the greatest sensitivity. (SP/transl.fl)