On the third day of an extraordinary European summit, the Heads of State or Government of the European Union took a consensual decision on Tuesday 2 July on a package of appointments of key European positions.
The Twenty-Eight propose that the European Commission be chaired, for the first time, by a woman, in this case Ursula von der Leyen, the current German Defence Minister. They elected Charles Michel, the current acting Belgian Prime Minister, as President of the European Council for two and a half years (from 1st December 2019 to 31 May 2022).
They also consider that the current Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and former President of the European Parliament, Josep Borrell i Fontelles, should be appointed High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and that Christine Lagarde (France), the current Managing Director of the IMF, should head the European Central Bank (from 1st November 2019 to 31 October 2027).
To complete the package, other key positions have been informally negotiated by European leaders. Three vice-presidencies of the European Commission would be assigned to the Danish Margrethe Vestager, the Dutch Frans Timmermans and the Slovak Maroš Šefčovič. In addition, the presidency of the European Parliament could be held by Bulgarian Sergei Stanichev (S&D) and German Manfred Weber (EPP), even if these two MEPs are not on the list of declared candidates (see EUROPE 12287/3).
On the Commission Presidency, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had to abstain on behalf of Germany due to opposition from the Social Democratic Party SDP, a member of the German governing coalition.
"The Social Democrats failed to reach a decision for consent, which is why I had to abstain. We will also discuss this with the S&D group in Parliament", Mrs Merkel said. She praised Mrs von der Leyen, "a reliable person" with regards to "her experience in migration, NATO missions (...) and her commitment to the EU". "Everyone agreed, even though I was committed to another balance", she added, referring to her support for the Timmermans-Weber tandem.
The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said he was pleased that these appointments in packages respect gender equality, but seemed more sceptical about geographical balance. Perhaps the European Parliament will choose a President from Central and Eastern Europe - he said, also expecting Mrs von der Leyen, when appointing Vice-Presidents, to choose personalities from Central and Eastern Europe and Italy.
This appointment in packages indeed deserves merit for the novel way in which it placed two women in key European positions. "Once again EU is leading on gender balance", said Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, also pleased that the Commission Presidency remains within the Christian Democratic family.
For Italy, Mrs von der Leyen has a strong social sensitivity and the monetary policy promoted by Mrs Lagarde will be in line with that defended by Mario Draghi.
This element of gender equality is likely to facilitate the acceptance of the agreement of the Twenty-Eight in the European Parliament, it was also hoped for in Mr Tusk's entourage.
The buried Spitzenkandidaten process
Another key issue: the European Council is burying the process of the top candidates, the Spitzenkandidates of European parties, the Christian Democratic (EPP), Mr Weber, and Social Democratic (PES), Mr Timmermans, not obtaining the presidency of the Commission.
While in the same morning he was still defending the Timmermans-Weber tandem for the Presidency of the Commission and the European Parliament respectively, the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, finally recognised the "balance" package. To help him change his mind, the post of High Representative was offered to Spain at the expense of Mr Šefčovič, who was first approached.
"The Socialist Party's Plan B was Frans Timmermans... and Plan C... and D... We fought hard for this", added Mr Sánchez, acknowledging the need to unblock the situation.
"The fact that one of the Spitzenkandidaten is considered unsuitable must not be repeated. It is a matter of respect for the candidate who campaigned all over Europe", Mrs Merkel said. "Who, among the Spitzenkandidates, (should be) up for the Presidency of the Commission: the person from the strongest political group or who has the most votes in Parliament? (...) We are determined to find a better practice for the future", she added, referring to the options of "transnational lists" and the election of the President of the Commission by direct universal vote. According to her, Mr Weber will apply for the presidency of the European Parliament for the second part of Parliament's mandate.
On the other hand, the rejection of Mr Timmermans for the head of the Commission is good news for Poland and especially Hungary, which has constantly denounced the action of the current Vice-President of the 'Juncker' Commission in favour of respect for the Rule of law in these two countries.
Parliament has always stated that it will not vote for any candidate for the Presidency of the Commission who is not a Spitzenkandidat (see EUROPE 12265/2). In mid-July, it must approve Mrs von der Leyen's candidacy by an absolute majority (376) of its Members.
As soon as the European Council's decision on the Commission's Presidency was announced, German Social Democrats and the chairwoman of the S&D group in Parliament, Iratxe García (Spain), as well as the Greens/EFA group, expressed their disappointment and even irritation (see EUROPE 12287/2). The EPP Group in Parliament supports the agreement, said its President, Mr Weber. However, it is not clear at this stage that MEPs are willing to swallow the pill.
This decision is "a setback" for the Spitzenkandidaten process, but it can be "pedagogical" for the future, considered a European source, referring to the possibility that the process could be revived for the 2024 European elections, if transnational lists emerge, as requested by France.
According to another source, if Parliament rejects Mrs von der Leyen, MEPs will have to propose a German Christian Democrat for the Commission Presidency anyway because the agreement has been sealed. Members will scream and then approve Mrs von der Leyen, the source predicted.
The Franco-German axis returns
Compared to an earlier combination - including Frans Timmermans at the European Commission, Manfred Weber at the European Parliament - tested on Monday by the Twenty-Eight (see EUROPE 12286/1), some believe that in one day an agreement between Liberals and Socialists was replaced by a Franco-German agreement.
"Without the Franco-German agreement, without the relationship between Mr Macron and Mrs Merkel, it is not possible to produce ambitious things", said Amélie de Montchalin, French Secretary of State for European Affairs.
A German woman and a Frenchman are placed concurrently at the head of two European institutions other than Parliament. The Belgian liberal, Charles Michel, is a francophone and close to Emmanuel Macron.
For the French President, the agreement is "the result of a deep Franco-German understanding" that respects the criteria of competence, experience and parity and also makes it possible "not to divide Europe either politically or geographically". He referred to "a profound renewal" that reflects the new balances resulting from the European elections and will make it possible to implement the strategic agenda of the Twenty-Seven (see EUROPE 12279/1).
Mr Macron asked the future President of the European Council to take initiatives to "thoroughly reform working methods" on the issue of appointments and imagined "a European conference that will allow democratic renewal".
Addressing the press, Charles Michel said that "the next five years will be very important for the future of the EU project" and will "promote our unity, our diversity and also our solidarity". He vowed that Belgium will have an operational government when he takes office in early December.
See the conclusions of the European Council: http://bit.ly/2Ntq9cE (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion and the editorial staff)