And three candidates retoqués. The process of confirmation by the European Parliament of the future European Commission looks like a true cross for the German Ursula von der Leyen who will take the lead on 1 November.After the Hungarian László Trócsányi, then the Romanian Rovana Plumb, At the end of September, the French Sylvie Goulard saw her candidacy for the post of European Commissioner blocked by the MEPs, Thursday, October 10.
László Trócsányi, who had been short-listed as Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, and Rovana Plumb, who was to be in charge of Transport, were blocked by parliamentarians because of suspected conflicts of interest. Sylvie Goulard, meanwhile, failed to justify why two ongoing investigations against her in France led her to resign from the government of Édouard Philippe but would not prevent him from acceding to the post of European Commissioner for the Internal Market.
A more influential parliament and revengeful MEPs
Parliamentarians have "already blocked the nomination of one or the other of the candidates in the past, but three at once, it is true that it is a lot", recognizes Peter Nedergaard, specialist of the European institutions in the Center. for european politics of the University of Copenhagen, contacted by France 24. For him, this slaughter is primarily due to the fact that "the European Parliament has gained confidence since its powers were strengthened by the Lisbon Treaty [entered into force] in 2009, Editor's note] ". Before that date, the validation procedure for European Commissioners was a simple formality.
Ursula von der Leyen would therefore bear the brunt of a Parliament which has become more influential and which is counting on further affirmation so as to no longer appear as a registration chamber for the decisions of the European Commission or the Council of Ministers of the European Union, where most of the dealings take place in order to distribute the portfolios of Commissioners between the different Member States.
The German is not the first to submit its candidates to the sagacity of European parliamentarians doped with the Lisbon Treaty. Jean-Claude Juncker preceded him in 2014. "But he was the candidate of the European Parliament, which made it much easier for him," said Peter Nedergaard. Ursula von der Leyen has been imposed on the majority of European politicians who have chosen to support the German conservative Manfred Weber. A candidacy that had met the fierce resistance of Emmanuel Macron.
It was therefore resounding MEPs who took part in the marathon of the confirmation of the candidates for the positions of European commissioners. "For them, it was an opportunity to show their muscles," confirms Peter Nedergaard. A reading grid that seems to validate the reaction of French President Emmanuel Macron after the rejection of Sylvie Goulard's candidacy. The tenant of the Elysee has, in fact, denounced what he called "political pettiness" resulting from the "resentment" of parliamentarians. The French Secretary of State for European Affairs Amelie de Montchalin has even suggested that "these political calculations" engender a "major institutional crisis" in Europe because without a French commissioner, "the Commission can not get under way".
All-out opposition ?
A way to dramatize the situation that does not reflect the reality, however, according to Peter Nedergaard. France, like Hungary and Romania, will present a new candidate and "in the end, the Parliament should confirm the composition of the European Commission", prognosis this Danish expert.
Nor has the European Parliament entered an all-out opposition position. "The three recalts posed real problems," says Peter Nedergaard. MEPs were much more understanding with other candidates who did not shine during their auditions. Thus, the Polish candidate for the post of Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, was so unconvincing that he was not even applauded by parliamentarians at the end of his oral. This did not prevent him from being confirmed. The Social Democrats also did not oppose the Greek conservative Margaritis Schinas, who was approaching the controversial post of Commissioner for "Protecting our European way of life". These same MEPs had however threatened to oppose any candidate for a portfolio whose title has been widely criticized for "opening the door to xenophobic amalgam and shortcuts".
It is therefore a little too simple to assert, as suggested by Paris, that the process of confirmation of the European Commissioners was only an opportunity for Manfred Weber and his friends to indulge themselves by offering a political revenge . There is probably a bit of that in the current mess surrounding the formation of the Von der Leyen commission, but it is also the reflection of a European Parliament, the only European institution whose members are elected by universal suffrage, which has become more powerful.