Milan/Brussels, 08/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 8 July, President-designate of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said at a hearing before the European Parliament's S&D Group in Brussels that his future economic and monetary affairs commissioner would probably belong to the Socialist party, several media have reported. The leader of the European Parliament's S&D Group, Gianni Pittella, hailed Juncker's “tendency to choose a Socialist” for this post - a post that is deemed essential for redirecting European economic policy towards more growth after the years of budgetary austerity.
Speaking of the stability and growth pact before the S&D Group, Juncker said that it would not be a “flexibility pact, but it will be used flexibly. A Socialist commissioner will be responsible for it”. This little sentence reopens the candidacies of two countries interested in the position, France and the Netherlands, through former minister Pierre Moscovici and current Eurogroup boss Jeroen Djisselboem respectively. At the meeting of the Eurogroup on Monday 7 July, the Dutchman did not dismiss the idea. Although he said that he loved his current job and the “combination” between Eurogroup and Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands, “we never know what the future has in store for us”.
Italy would struggle to stake a claim to the post, as the ECB top job is already held by Mario Draghi. Moscovici is in competition with MEP Pervenche Berès (S&D, France), who also has her eye on the position of Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs. The Finn Jyrki Katainen's interest in the position held by Olli Rehn up to 1 July may also come to nothing, as certain countries, including Italy, oppose a single country getting the same portfolio twice in a row.
On Tuesday 8 July, Juncker kicked off a series of hearings before the political groups of the EP, ahead of his election at the plenary to be held in Strasbourg on 15 July. These sessions before the political groups of the EP will continue this Wednesday 9 July. (SP/EL)