EU appointments, playing chess” “But there’s no time to waste

Between Brussels and Strasbourg it’s apparent calm. The European Parliament elections have not been dismissed, yet Community institutions and EU28 governments are already involved in hectic negotiations, some of them out in the open others behind closed curtains, to discuss the new assignments, the emerging personalities at Community level, the possible alliances also in the light of radically different understandings on the future of the “common home”. In fact, the results of the vote of May 22-25 confirmed a consistent presence of eurosceptic citizens in several – but not all – Member Countries, which brought to Strasbourg’s hemicycle a combative troop of MEPs who are bound to obstruct the progress of political and economic integration in the next five years. Moreover, the euro-critical team that came out of the polls is not as consistent as previously imagined and it will hardly manage to block the construction process of a European Union that needs strength and unity to meet the global challenges which the large majority of the European Parliament – consisting of the EPP group, Socialists & Democrats, Liberal Democrats and Greens – intends to face.But until now talks focus on the candidate-presidents of EU institutions, as the most senior posts in Parliament, Commission and EU Council must be decided within the next six months, against the backdrop of extensive reflections on the “programs” and the “political visions” of tomorrow’s Europe. Moreover, should it be more or less integrated? With more or less powers? Are further cessions of sovereignty of national capitals towards the EU needed? Should the EU budget increase or decrease? Should it consist in “own resources” or should it continue depending on the funds that are “kindly granted” by Member States year after year? These themes could finally be discussed at Europe’s political table during the next summit meetings. The European Council will convene next June 26-27, first in Ypres (Belgium) for brief WWI centenary commemoration, to stand as a warning for a Europe of peace and cooperation between peoples and States; then in Brussels with a very busy agenda, although the attention of EU28 leaders is likely to focus on the candidate to the post of EU Commission President (EPP’s Jean-Claude Juncker from Luxembourg is in pole position). The chosen candidate will be discussed by MEPs during the first plenary in Strasbourg July 1st to 3rd. The Assembly will be called to vote its President, 15 Vice-Presidents, establish the composition of internal governing bodies and Council Commissions. It will also give a concrete picture of political groups, thereby confirming whether anti-EU MEPs represent a consistent group or whether the advocates of a different and more effective, transparent Europe, that is close to its citizens, prevails. During the second session of July, scheduled from the 14th to the 17th, Parliament will elect the candidate at the lead of the EU Commission (to succeed José Manuel Barroso, who will leave the Executive on October 31st) upon a proposal of the European Council: if the two bodies reach an agreement, the chosen candidate will proceed, in agreement with the States, to the creation of the College voted by October; conversely, a tug of war would break out with unpredictable consequences involving both EU bodies. The appointment-game includes also other posts: the main ones are those of the president of the European Council, currently held by Herman Van Rompuy, whose mandate ends in December; the High Representative for Foreign Policy; the President of the Eurogroup. This game of chess is being played in a problematic context for Europe: the economic and employment crisis, the open conflict between Ukraine and Russia, migrations exerting pressure at southern borders, external turbulence (notably the tragic situation in Syria), internal secessionist drives, starting with Scotland and Catalonia… EU politics must obviously respect its deadlines, but certainly there’s not time to beat around the bush or be divided by counterproductive personality cults. A productive concurrence of minds that believe in a common Europe; in the EU of peace, rights, development, “unity in diversity” is urgently needed. After which, less concerns and more prospects will lie ahead of us.