On Monday 12 March at the opening of Parliament’s plenary session during a debate with the Commissioner for Human Resources, Günther Oettinger, MEPs launched a robust appeal for the European Commission to provide further information about the lightening promotion of Mr Selmayr to the post of Secretary-General. They are also calling for transparent procedures for the nomination of senior officials at the European Union institutions.
The level of the vitriol was not shared by all MEPs but they all criticised the way in which the nomination of the former head of cabinet for Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, Martin Selmayr, obtained his post of Secretary-General of the Commission on 21 February (see EUROPE 11966).
The opaque “express” procedure used has shaken up the European institutions since the revelations made in the French newspaper, Libération. MEPs of Parliament's budget control committee had already requested clarity on 28 February last (see EUROPE 11972).
Mr Oettinger firstly defended the unanimous decision made by the College of Commissioners to approve the appointment of Mr Selmayr whose qualities he also praised. He also asserted that all the different stages in the procedure stipulated in the rules had been scrupulously respected.
The EPP group, of which Mr Juncker is a member, did not hold back on its criticism of the European Commission either. Françoise Grossetête (EPP, France) effectively alluded to “non-elected officials who de facto take the reins of the institution from under the noses of our 27 Commissioners, who were informed at the very last minute and without them being allowed to have their say”. She regretted the fact that this affair “discredits” the Commission.
Arndt Kohn (S&D, Germany) deplored the fact that they had had “moved heaven and earth for Mr Selmayr to be appointed to certain functions”, which will lead to the population “rejecting” the Commission.
The most scathing attacks, however, came from the ALDE and Greens/EFA groups. Dutch Liberal, Sophia in’t Veld, considered that Mr Oettinger, was “taking the MEPs for idiots” and that he “had allowed himself to be intimidated by an official [Mr Selmayr]”. She added that this affair, “destroys the credibility of the European Union”. Speaking on behalf of the Greens, Philippe Lamberts, from Belgium, attacked the “guilty lack of vision” of Mr Juncker, whose absence he also regretted, as well as an “authoritarian centralism and ‘commandeering’ of officials” in a description of Mr Selmayr’s supposed behaviour in his professional life.
Europhobic MEPs such as Nigel Farage (EFDD, United Kingdom) and Nicolas Bay (ENF, France), did not hesitate in attacking the European Union again and congratulated the United Kingdom on its choice for leaving it.
MEPs also agreed on the vote for a resolution once the budget control committee has examined this controversial appointment. The date for arranging this vote has been set for Thursday at the Conference of Presidents of the Political Groups and April was mentioned as a possibility for holding the vote. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)