Brussels, 04/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission responded on Monday 4 July to the criticism carried in the European press over the responsibility that the Juncker Commission has to shoulder in the British referendum, which was won by those wanting the United Kingdom to leave the European Union.
Spokesperson Alexander Winterstein said that the Commission had noted the criticism but he pointed out that the Commission was “very, very busy” in pursuing the reforms agreed at European level, such as energy union.
According to the Sunday Times, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is unhappy at Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's handling of the UK issue and his plans for dealing with the post 23 June situation (see EUROPE 11580). The newspaper cites an unnamed German minister who says that pressure on Juncker to resign will only be greater. Merkel, who is disinclined to hasten negotiations on the arrangements for Brexit, will eventually have to deal with this matter “next year”, according to the Sunday Times.
The criticism is not justified, commented a source on Monday, indicating that Juncker only wants to put an end to the current uncertainty. The Commission responded last week to resignation calls, stating that the political responsibility of the president was not in question and that Juncker could not be criticised at one and the same time for interfering in the debate on the Dutch referendum on the association agreement with Ukraine and for standing on the sidelines of the UK referendum debate.
The criticism and the calls for the resignation not only of Juncker but of Council President Donald Tusk come too from the Visegrad countries, such as the Czech Republic, a number of the leaders of which called last week for the heads of Juncker and Tusk. Tusk defended the actions of President Juncker at the European summit on Tuesday 28 June (see EUROPE 11582).
At the European elections in 2014, Merkel backed Juncker as the candidate of the Christian Democratic family of the EPP but her enthusiasm was questioned. She had not been insensitive to the arguments of UK's Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron who had opposed Juncker's appointment as the representative of the largest grouping in Parliament.
Farage steps down as UKIP leader. This challenge to the Commission president comes at a time of some political chaos in the United Kingdom. Diehard campaigner for Brexit Nigel Farage has resigned as the leader of UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) while continuing to sit as an MEP, as he is entitled to do so long as the UK remains a member of the EU. Two of the main frontrunners to replace Cameron as leader of the Conservative party, Michael Gove and Theresa May, indicated at the end of last week that they would perhaps not activate Article 50 of the Treaty, which governs the procedure for the withdrawal; of a member state, until the end of this year or even the end of 2017. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)