Brussels, 23/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - Following the meeting of eight Social Democrat heads of state and government in Paris on Saturday 21 June, the horizon seems a little clearer for Jean-Claude Juncker (from Luxembourg), who is the European People's Party (EPP) candidate for the presidency of the European Commission, after the eight heads of state and government rallied to his cause.
Led by France's President François Hollande, the Social Democrat leaders expressed their support for Juncker. “We respect the mindset which presided over the European elections - in other words, that the party that comes out top might propose the candidate who was presented. In the current situation this is Mr Juncker”, said Hollande at the end of the meeting that included inter alia the heads of government from Italy, Matteo Renzi, Denmark, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Romania, Victor Ponta, and Belgium, Elio Di Rupo.
Their support nevertheless involves a counterparty - the European Council President post, which will be vacant from the end of November, will have to be filled by a Socialist.
There are other nominations for posts that may emanate from the Social Democrat side, Hollande continued, as quoted by French news agency AFP. Prospective candidates for these posts are Thorning-Schmidt, and former prime ministers of France and Italy, Jean-Marc Ayrault and Enrico Letta respectively.
Focus on growth without amending the stability pact. The Social Democrats also intend to weigh in on the Commission's work programme. “The priorities that we have retained”, said Hollande, “are firstly growth and jobs, using all the margins, all the flexibility of the stability and growth Pact, to ensure that young people's employment is really the EU's budgetary priority, and [also] to launch a big investment programme to organise Europe's energy transition and independence”.
The Social Democrat heads of government are not seeking to renegotiate the stability and growth pact. “Using all the flexibility means that we can respect our commitments”, said Hollande, “and that we can know what the investments are that fit or do not fit the level of spending. This is the Italian proposal - to make it understood as well that there can be adjustments on a certain number of efforts linked to the structural funds.” Hollande also stated that he had been given the mandate “to bring these approaches” at the European Council.
Unknown dimension of David Cameron. Despite the large majority that seems to be forming in favour of Juncker (the former prime minister of Luxembourg), UK Prime Minister David Cameron would seem intent on putting this to the test and obliging his European partners to prove their support for Juncker through a vote, British media report. During a meeting with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in London, Cameron again tried to make his concerns about Juncker's candidacy known - a candidacy that a large number of countries will approve more out of resignation or strategic calculation than out of any real ambition. This is a flaw that Cameron would like to exploit between now and Friday. (SP)