Newsletter
Euros du Village
Gli Euros
Die Euros
The Euros
Los Euros
Ajouter un commentaire1. Sending the opposition to Brussels…and hoping that they don’t come back
It may be surprising, but it isn’t as odd as one might think ; many State and Government chiefs choose their own opponents as Commissioner Candidates. The Southern-European governments seem specialists in this practice. One of Massimo D’Alema’s – Italy’s Prime Minister – motivations when nominating Romano Prodi for the top job at the European Commission in 1999 was to keep his greatest internal rival away, hoping that he would stay in Brussels. Yet, he messed it up. At the end of his mandate, Romano Prodi took power again in Rome, defeating Silvio Berlusconi in 2005. That’s why Silvio Berlusconi, the President of the European Council, currently supports Massimo D’Alema’s candidacy (still very powerful in the principal party of the opposition, the Democratic Party) for High Representative for the Foreign Affairs Department. Also, the current Portuguese Prime Minister, the socialist José Socrates, prefers José-Manuel Barroso, the current centre-right President of the Commission, to stay in Brussels, rather than see him return to the Portuguese political scene.
2. Sending a specialist
- Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ
-
Vice President designate of the EC in charge of Inter-Institutional Relations and Admnistration
source : EU Commission Audiovisual service/
Taking into account that the European Commission is renowned for the technicality with which addresses its competences, many Member States prefer to send specialists. Placing their faith in their Commissioner candidate’s knowledge of the subject, certain governments wish that in return they will “obtain” a strategic portfolio. In general, such strategy turns out to be expensive and, contrary to what one might think, these specialists, of whom few have carried out national ministerial duties, aren’t necessarily are the least “political”. Thus, Lionel Jospin, head of the French government in 1990, chose to put forward Pascal Lamy, former personal representative of Jacques Delors in the European Commission, for the French European Commissioner position. It should be noted that the image of the French Socialists in Brussels had been severely tarnished owing to the Edith Cresson scandal which brought down the Santer Commission. In the same way, many newer Member States prefer to appoint as European Commissioner the country’s former negotiator with the EU, or their former EU representative (for example, Maroš ŠEFČOVIČ from Slovakia) rather than a former minister.
3. Sending an activist to Europe
Michel Barnier is a true example of the European activist given power in Brussels through his own choice. This is due to his European involvement and to his active lobbying of the Head of State. As former Minister of the European Foreign Affairs, Commissioner in charge of the Cohesion, member of the European Convention and member of the European Parliament, Michel Barnier’s European C.V. is impressive. Margot Wallström, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Catherine Ashton and Danuta Hubner can equally be placed in this category. In general, it is possible to identify the “European activists” in terms of the number of publications that they have written about Europe, or in terms of the mandates that they hold in Brussels.
Besides, such personalities are usually in the vanguard of their party, or even of their country, according to European subjects : Chris Patten has been appointed British Commissioner candidate because he was one of the only British conservatives who was pro-Europe. The strengths : the political activists serve the European cause and are a guarantee of independence, of relative proficiency and of neutrality. The weaknesses : “European activists” sometimes struggle to reconcile their faith in Europe and their former national or partisan bonds.
4. Sending a « heavyweight »
- Pascal Lamy, technocrat and visionary
-
Pascal Lamy, Jacques Delors’ former close partner in the European Commission, has become Commerce Commissioner…a great challenge for a French socialist !
source : EU Commission Audiovisual Service/
As soon as he was appointed as the head of the Commission, Romano Prodi wanted the member States to send him the political heavyweights. It was no sooner said than done. Loyola de Palacio, the Commission Vice-president in charge of energy and transport (Prodi’s colleague), is the perfect example of such heavyweights : former Minister of agriculture, she’s a sharp tactician and negotiator, and has got an outstanding knowledge of the dossiers and of languages (Spanish, English, French). Loyola de Palacio has known very well how to find her spot in the Prodi Commission.
5. The coalition engagements
In quite a few federal countries (Germany, Austria, Belgium), the Commissioner’s portfolio forms part – in the same status as the national ministers – of the negotiation for the positions within a governmental coalition. Under this perspective, the political label of the personality sent to Brussels is decisive. Other considerations can be taken into account as well. The Belgians, who are fully in line with this pattern, have generally alternated Flemish and Walloons in the Commissioner position. The risk of such a system is to treat the European Commissioner almost as a national minister, and thus to send a personality without caliber or without any particular competence. In this respect, the choice of the German Commissioners, which have been heavily criticized, are particularly striking.
6. Brussels, a consolation prize
Contrary to the “European activists”, certain European Commissioners have gone to Brussels reluctantly…or have received the Commissioner position as a “consolation prize”. The case of Charlie McCreevy is very revealing : many observers were stunned to see the former Irish Finance Minister – eternal detractor of the “Brussels takeover” – join the Community Executive. According to the facts, the position in the Commission had been offered to him as a “consolation prize”, as he could not stay in government. In the same way, Peter Mandelson, former Trade Commissioner from Britain, hasn’t shown much enthusiasm since his arrival in the Belgian capital. But the post represented a good way-out as, for a long time, he had been the target of the British media and, within the Labor Party, of Gordon Brown. The inconvenience of sending to Brussels those whom we want to get rid of in the national capital, is that it is often not clear how well these Commissioners are engaging with the post or how effective they are.
7. Brussels, cemetery for Prime Ministers (or former party heads)
- Joaquin Almunia, the former mentor
-
Joaquin Almunia began his career within the Spanish workers unionism, before pursuing the Spanish Socialist Party, and finally the European Commission.
source : EU Commission Audiovisual Service/
For many Heads of State and those in government, the appointment as European Commissioner is understood as a reward for service to the nation…or to the party. Thus, many European Commissioners are former ministers, Prime Ministers or Heads of parties, for example, Vladimir Spidla (former secretary of the Social-Democrat Party, and former Czech Prime Minister) and Joaquin Almunia (former Head of the Spanish Socialist Party), to name but a few.
The Heads of State want to honour those who were their mentors, their guides…or those who were their old opponents. On the other hand, sending a former Prime Minister can represent a guarantee of credibility and independence. However, the risk of such strategy is that the European Commission will eventually turn into a retiring-home where the occupants are bored to death. However, to look at things in this slightly cynical and sceptical fashion, is to misunderstand a Community political life which is more and more proactive and stimulating…
Headline Photo : European Communities/
Ajouter un commentaire
Qui envoyer à Bruxelles ? 
Aber was für Kommissare werden denn da nach Brüssel geschickt ?
(1)
