The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, is of the opinion that the procedure for appointing the German Christian Democrat Ursula von der Leyen as the nominated candidate for the Presidency of the European Commission has not been “very transparent” (see EUROPE 12287/1).
This opacity is explained by the fact that the Heads of State or Government finally chose to bury the procedure of the top candidates (‘Spitzenkandidaten’) according to which the candidate of the European Party at the top of the European elections tries to form a majority in the European Parliament in order to chair the European Commission.
The Twenty-Seven had always said that this federalist-inspired process could not be automatic. At the European summits on appointments to senior European posts, they noted that none of the three personalities envisaged – Germany's Manfred Weber for the EPP, the Dutchman Frans Timmermans for the PES and the Danish Margrethe Vestager for the ALDE – was in a position to secure a political majority in the European Parliament (see EUROPE 12280/2). However, the pairing of Mr Timmermans on the Commission and Mr Weber at Parliament was close to success.
For its part, the European Parliament, which called for the Spitzenkandidaten process to be maintained, was unable to influence the appointment of the person who could preside over the Commission by identifying a person who could secure a political majority for him or herself.
“The process which led to my nomination in 2014 was very transparent because we had lead candidates”, noted Mr Juncker, who was at the time the candidate of the European Christian Democratic family. And he concluded, “I said the European Council the other day that I had the impression that I would always enter history, but not like that. Because I am very unique guy. I am the first and last Spitzenkandidat”. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)