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Merkel and Macron tensions rise over EU top jobs Merkel and Macron tensions rise over EU top jobs
(about 5 hours later)
Franco-German tensions over who will run the EU’s institutions have been played out in public as Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron arrived at a meeting of leaders in Brussels. The Franco-German split over who should next lead the European commission has deepened after Angela Merkel defended her support for a fellow German MEP for the post in the face of Emmanuel Macron’s doubts.
The two leaders are divided over the claim of Manfred Weber, the candidate nominated as European commission president by the German chancellor’s political group, the European People’s party (EPP). The two leaders are divided over the claim of Manfred Weber, the candidate nominated as European commission president by the chancellor’s political group, the European People’s party (EPP).
“I support Manfred Weber,” Merkel told reporters on her way into the summit, adding that she hoped for a decision by the 28 EU leaders before July when the newly elected European parliament is due to sit. “I will appeal this evening for us to show an ability to act.” After a three-hour working dinner of EU leaders in Brussels to discuss replacements for Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, the presidents of the commission and council, Merkel said she had spoken to Macron one-to-one in the margins of the summit.
The French president, whose La République En Marche (La Rem) gained 22 seats during last week’s elections, and joins an enlarged and emboldened liberal group in parliament, offered a thinly veiled critique of the German MEP who has never held a government position. “It is no secret that he does not support the lead candidate principle but we all have to live with circumstances as they present themselves,” Merkel said. “The EPP is the strongest in the parliament. It does not have a majority in the parliament and so we all need to think hard.”
Macron insisted that the replacements for Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, as presidents of the commission and council, required “experience and credibility to enable them to carry out these missions”. Under the so-called spitzenkandidat system, the “lead candidate” of the political group that wins the largest share of the vote in European elections is favoured for the role of leading the EU’s executive branch.
In 2014, Juncker, the former prime minister of Luxembourg, was appointed by the member states on the back of the principle, introduced by the European parliament.
“This time round the situation looks different,” Merkel admitted. “It looks more complicated and we have to face the facts and deal with them and again find a good solution.”
The EPP remains the largest in the parliament, but its haul of seats in the European parliament plummeted from 221 in 2014 to 180, prompting Weber to concede that the “centre is shrinking”
Merkel insisted, however, that the higher turnout of more than 50%, bucking a four decade trend, was the “engine” that justified the lead candidate system and Weber’s coronation.
Earlier in the day, Macron, whose La République En Marche (La Rem) gained 22 seats during last week’s elections, and joins an enlarged and emboldened liberal group in parliament, offered a thinly veiled critique of the German MEP, who has never held a government position.
Macron insisted that the replacements for Juncker and Tusk required “experience and credibility to enable them to carry out these missions”.
“Today I do not want names to be talked about, names to be attacked; I think we have to take into account what came out of the polls, what the European people have expressed and we must also have decision-makers who have the credibility to be able to act,” he said.“Today I do not want names to be talked about, names to be attacked; I think we have to take into account what came out of the polls, what the European people have expressed and we must also have decision-makers who have the credibility to be able to act,” he said.
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A range of candidates, not all with the backingof parliamentary groups, have emerged in recent months for the top roles.
The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has not declared himself a candidate for commission president but has been on a tour of capitals in recent months giving speeches on his vision of Europe.The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, has not declared himself a candidate for commission president but has been on a tour of capitals in recent months giving speeches on his vision of Europe.
Frans Timmermans, the former Dutch foreign minister, a vice-president of Juncker’s commission, is the lead candidate of the Socialists and Democrats group, the second largest in the European parliament after the EPP.Frans Timmermans, the former Dutch foreign minister, a vice-president of Juncker’s commission, is the lead candidate of the Socialists and Democrats group, the second largest in the European parliament after the EPP.
Asked about Margrethe Vestager, the former Danish finance minister who is a candidate for commission president from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe political group, Macron agreed she had the relevant strengths.Asked about Margrethe Vestager, the former Danish finance minister who is a candidate for commission president from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe political group, Macron agreed she had the relevant strengths.
“Like Mr Barnier, as Mr Timmermans, people who have precisely these skills but I do not want today to have a debate on the names, I want to have a debate about the project, priorities and criteria,” Macron said.“Like Mr Barnier, as Mr Timmermans, people who have precisely these skills but I do not want today to have a debate on the names, I want to have a debate about the project, priorities and criteria,” Macron said.
Ahead of outgoing UK prime minister Theresa May taking her seat at the leaders’ dinner to discuss the distribution of EU posts, she held talks with Tusk. Tusk said that there was “no automaticity” to the lead candidate system. Of the five EU jobs that will soon vacant – presidents of the commission, council, European Central Bank, the European parliament, and a new foreign policy high representative – Tusk said he wanted to see more gender balance. A woman has never led the commission or council.
A government spokesman said: “[May] will use this as an opportunity to update President Tusk about her announcement on Friday that she will be stepping down as prime minister.” “Gender balance means at least two women, if it is possible, we will see,” he said. “But this is at least my plan and my personal ambition and as I mentioned I felt very strong support, maybe not from everyone.”
On the UK’s approach to the EU posts, the spokesman added: “As agreed at the council meeting in April, as long as the UK remains in the EU, we will continue to be a full member state with all the rights and obligations that entails.
“We recognise the UK’s status as a departing member state and will continue to be as constructive a partner as possible and abide by the principle of sincere cooperation – and this issue is no exception.”
European UnionEuropean Union
EuropeEurope
Angela MerkelAngela Merkel
Emmanuel MacronEmmanuel Macron
GermanyGermany
FranceFrance
Margrethe VestagerMargrethe Vestager
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