Brussels, 16/06/2009 (Agence Europe) - Although this week's European Council (18/19 June) decided to formally designate José Manuel Barroso as the president of the next European Commission, it is in danger of the European Parliament voting against it in July. On Tuesday, the co-president of the Greens, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, affirmed that this will not necessarily be against the Barroso candidacy but “against the Barroso method, which over the last few days has taken advantage of the treaty of Nice to pull a fast one on the European Parliament” by stopping it playing an enhanced democratic role reserved for it under the Lisbon treaty. Mr Cohn-Bendit sent out a warning to the press that at the newly elected parliament a “refusal front” existed, consisting of Greens, Socialists (PES), Liberals (ALDE) and the United Left (GUE/NGL) and which found it “inadmissible” that the next president of the Commission is hastily appointed without any preliminary debate at the parliament in keeping with the provisions of the Treaty of Nice and with the rest of the Commission being formed later under the Lisbon treaty. Several MEPs supporting Mr Barroso but opposed to the planned “method” are expected to join this alliance, explained Mr Cohn-Bendit. “If the European Council persists and signs and decides no matter what, to appoint Mr Barroso under the Treaty of Nice, he is in danger of getting a no vote in July”. The co-president of the Greens asked how it was possible that Mr Barroso, who presents himself as one of the great defenders of the Lisbon treaty and who is emphatic about the democratic virtues of the new treaty can insist so ardently on being designated and elected under the Treaty of Nice. Cohn-Bendit said that, “it ought to be an honour to be designated under the Lisbon Treaty” and subsequently obtain greater democratic legitimacy through the increased involvement of the EP in this decision.
The main argument put forward by those defending the rapid designation in June/July (including Mr Barroso himself, the Czech and Swedish presidencies) is that in times of crisis, the EU cannot afford to have a Commission “weakened” by prolonged uncertainty surrounding the future president. This is dismissed with a slight of hand. Mr Barroso and his Commission will, nonetheless, remain in place until the Commission is renewed in November at the latest, explained Cohn-Bendit, who asserted that there was, therefore, no uncertainty. He concluded that, “it is completely idiotic to say that the Commission or the EU would be weakened. There is therefore no justification for not nominating the whole Commission under the rules of the Lisbon treaty”. The European Parliament will, on the contrary, lose out the most under designation of the Commission president under the Treaty of Nice rules. Cohn-Bendit asserted that it is like football when the players have to take possession in the first five minutes if they want their opponents to respect them “if the EP does not win respect in July (right at the beginning of the new legislature), it will never be respected (by the European Council and Commission) over the next five years”.
An alternative candidate is “not being ruled out”. The Greens are therefore requesting that the debate on the designation of the president and the renewal of the whole Commission is postponed till the autumn (after the Irish referendum, the formal vote on the whole of the Commission can only take place after the entry into force of the Lisbon treaty) and first of all takes place at the European Parliament. Mr Cohn-Bendit added that he would like Parliament to be able to debate the question of “who will be the best candidate to manage the Commission at a time of economic and climate crises and globalisation” and then propose a candidate enjoying the support of a majority of MEPs and who could then be formally appointed by the European Council, with the EP voting on the appointment. Mr Cohn-Bendit says that it could transpire that the candidate enjoying the support of most MEPs is José Manuel Barroso but “I am not ruling out other candidates”. Potential alternative candidates exist (he mentioned Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and Guy Verhoftadt) but for the instant, Mr Cohn-Bendit does not want to unveil the name of “his” favourite candidate: “We will come out with proposals when the debate is launched at the European Parliament”. He also suggested that his group might also support a candidate from the EPP provided that it was not Mr Barroso. Mr Cohn-Bendit affirmed that “the surprise will come from the fact that this person will not be Barroso…but rather a new candidate with European stature, recognised by all political currents and who is acceptable to all those who wanted Barroso and who comes from the same political family (as Mr Barroso) but who differentiates himself from his chameleon method”. Mr Cohn-Bendit wants this to be someone who was “opposed the war in Iraq” at that time. (H.B./trans/rh)