Brussels, 04/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - The S&D Group at the European Parliament has officially nominated Martin Schulz, the current president of the EP, as its negotiator-in-chief in the discussions with the other political groups of the EP to reach the required majority for the next president of the European Commission.
The S&D Group said in a press release that, “yesterday, the leaders of 27 delegations in which the S&D Group is represented, met for the first time since the European elections in Brussels”. In the press release, Hannes Swoboda from Austria, explained that, “on the basis of my proposal and with the approval of the 27 delegation leaders, our group, today, nominated Martin Schulz as the group's spokesman in the negotiations on the appointment of the future president of the European Commission”.
Swoboda also pointed out that his group insisted that “Jean-Claude Junker has a mandate for attempting to obtain a majority at the European Parliament” even if it is “clear that the discussions on the future president of the Commission must, first of all, and above all, focus on the contents and not on the individuals or posts”. Schulz will also be a candidate for the presidency of the group, with the election planned for 18 June.
In response to a question put to him on Wednesday morning about the many different roles played by the German leader, the young president of the EPP Group at the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, simply indicated that this was entirely up to the Socialist group to decide. He added, however, that “we know Martin Schulz well, he's a good partner and ultimately what counts is the content”. (SP)