Brussels, 20/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - Eight Social Democrat heads of government will meet in Paris on Saturday 21 June at the invitation of French President François Hollande to discuss the European summit on 26 and 27 June, the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker as the next head of the European Commission and the Commission's work programme for the next five years.
The meeting will be attended by Chancellor of Austria Werner Faymann, Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka. The German vice-chancellor, Sigmar Gabriel (who is also economy minister) and Martin Schulz, former president of the European Parliament and European Socialist candidate for the job of Commission president, will also be attending.
Several Socialist leaders, including Werner Faymann and François Hollande, have said that they will not oppose the idea of Juncker being appointed as the next Commission head because they respect the process followed by the European Parliament. Others, such as Matteo Renzi, will only support him if they are satisfied with the Commission's work programme, Italy in particular wanting its partners to fight for greater flexibility in budget rules and a new calculation method for public deficits. This is of interest to the French too, although the French prime minister, Manual Valls, said on Friday 20 June that France would not be challenging the 3% rule. Italy has not yet joined the countries rallying around David Cameron of the United Kingdom that want to veto Juncker's appointment. Cameron has promised to do all he can to prevent Juncker getting the job and to get the matter voted on. Under the rules, Herman Van Rompuy does not have to organise a vote on the European Council's candidate for the job of Commission president; all he has to do is note that the majority of countries back the candidate in question. But an individual country may call for a vote to be taken, and it looks as if David Cameron is preparing to do just that. British diplomats are quoted by Reuters as saying that David Cameron may also try to delay the European summit's decision on Juncker and have it put with the decisions on the other top European jobs. On Thursday 19 June, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she supported Juncker, insisting decisions had to be taken in “a European spirit”.
The Juncker question will be discussed by the EU28 leaders over lunch on Friday 27 June. At the moment, Van Rompuy wants a decision to be taken on the president of the European Commission and for the decision on the other top jobs to be postponed until later, although the other jobs may well be discussed. A new name has been circulating in the French media for the job of president of the European Council (to replace Herman Van Rompuy), namely former French prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. The Danish prime minister, Thorning-Schmidt, too, is often mentioned. In Berlin on Thursday, Angela Merkel said that the fact that Denmark is not in the eurozone should not be a barrier because she was a super prime minister.
In Ypres on Thursday 26 June, the next European Commission work priorities will be discussed. A contribution from the eight Social Democrat heads of government may be forthcoming. The Social Democrats want the Commission to focus in particular on jobs (particularly for young people) and growth. (SP)