Arrived one of the first, as to show his determination, Emmanuel Macron sought Tuesday, May 28 in Brussels, to be at the center of the game to "build" the European Union for the next five years, at the risk of colliding with several capitals, including Berlin, on the choice of future leaders of the European institutions.
The head of the French state announced in front of the press, that whoever take the head of the European Commission should have a "strong personality". He added that he wanted to see two men and two women appointed to the most important European posts.
Earlier, he had come forward with three names of candidates he believed had the experience and credibility to run for Jean-Claude Juncker's succession: EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, the chief negotiator for the Brexit Michel Barnier and former Dutch diplomat Frans Timmermans.
Paris vs. Berlin
Angela Merkel, meanwhile, expressed the wish that European leaders agree on the name of the next president of the Commission by the European summit of 20 and 21 June.
The German Chancellor, speaking at the end of an informal summit in Brussels, supports the candidacy of his compatriot Manfred Weber, appointed by the European People's Party (EPP), in which his formation (CDU) is participating and who holds the more seats in the Strasbourg Parliament.
But this choice comes up against many resistances, including that of the French president, who clearly showed his differences with Angela Merkel.
The President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, also said he hoped the debate could be settled by the June summit.
With Reuters and AFP