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Europeans want a say on the next Commission president: Poll

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Published 06 September 2013, updated 09 September 2013
21 comments
Tags
citizens, Commission president, EU elections 2014, Eurobarometer

European citizens are more inclined to vote if they are given the chance to choose who will be the next president of the European Commission, according to a survey released today (6 September).

A new Eurobarometer report, published by European Parliament today (6 September), polled some 27,600 European citizen's on their views on the EU, one year before the European Parliament elections in May 2014.

In the upcoming campaign, European political parties are to present their candidates for the presidency of the European Commission. Asked whether this mattered to them, 55% of the respondents said it would encourage them to head to voting booths.

The European Parliament had hoped the move would boost voter turnout in May.

“A considerable amount of people say that, if voting for the EU parliament means voting for the EC president candidate as well, they would be more inclined to vote”, European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch told EurActiv.

Some 70% of people polled also said that they favoured the direct election of the Commission president in the future. Of the respondents, 31% said this was because “EU decisions would seem more legitimate” and 30% said “it would reinforce democracy within the EU”.

Under the current procedure, MEPs nominate the next Commission president after the elections. Though the European Council proposes the candidate, the 2009 Lisbon Treaty empowered the Parliament to confirm them in a vote.

More European, less trustful

In a Eurobarometer survey released in July up to 60% of Europeans said they did “not to trust the EU”, a record high.

But today's survey showed a spike in shared identity. More than five out of 10 citizens defined themselves as both "national" and "European", a six point increase compared to last year.

According to Duch, “it shows that crisis has made people aware that the different European countries are deeply interlinked and we all are in the same boat”.

Some 39% felt their voice “counts in the EU”, a small decline compared to 2012. 62% said their country’s voice counted. In Greece, however, this figure dropped from 32% to 21% in just one year.

The survey also showed EU citizens are most concerned by Europe’s unemployment figures, particularly among the youth. 55% marked this as the EU’s main concern, especially in southern and southeastern Europe. Social inequalities and public debt also topped the list of concerns.

Next steps: 
  • 22-25 May 2014: European Parliament elections in all 28 member states.
EurActiv.com
External Links
  • Commentary by Sonia Piedrafita, Research Fellow at CEPS Brussels. 

COMMENTS

  • The People of the European states , might be more inclined to vote in EP elections , if they were able to directly choose and vote for a new president .

    Who is going to nominate the presidential candidates ? There is a danger that the people don't like any of them .

    The EU is what it is and the majority of people don't like what the EU has become . My guess is that in 2014 , even fewer people will vote in the EP elections . Britain's UKIP might be the country's principal representative , in front of conservatives and labour .

    By :
    David Barneby
    - Posted on :
    08/09/2013

  • The European People should only vote when the European Institutions are guaranteeing their Fundamental Rights in All Member States.Only in this way you expect support for the elections. Time enough to take the right decisions!
    See the protest on:
    http://www.portugal-outside-the-european-community-law.eu/european-parliament-elections-2014-do-not-vote-unless/

    By :
    J. van Es
    - Posted on :
    09/09/2013

  • It is not the MEPs that nominate the Commission president, but the Member States (technically: the council). They should take into account the result of the EP elections, but that does not mean they are obliged to nominate the "candidate" of the strongest european party - they can do that by nominating anyone coming roughly from that political current. The parliament has the right to vote on the nominee, but they don't have the right to vote on any candidate save one nominated by the Member States.

    By :
    Michael Betsch
    - Posted on :
    10/09/2013

  • I'm not sure that Nigel Farage would accept the post as president of the EU commission if we elected him .
    He might do a good job of reforming , or better still dismantling the EU .

    By :
    David Barneby
    - Posted on :
    10/09/2013

  • @ David Barneby

    I dont't get this David, we all know there is a democratic deficit in the EU.

    So we find some way of nominating and voting for a President that is acceptable to all (I know its unlikely. Just look at the standard of candidate available to us from the Commission or indeed the Parliament.

    The man or women nominated then makes a horlicks of it or can get nothing done because they have too many people working against them. They will have no clout to fix it. Where are we then apart from disillusioned?

    The whole thing is a complete load of bollocks and enough to make a Boy Scout P*ss in his campfire and bugger off home!.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    14/09/2013

  • Do you really think that "a savior of Europe" through the incarnation of a President would solve the growing and more & more overwhelming discontent of Europe among Europeans ? Here again a wrong diagnosis calls for an alike treatment. We dont feel voiceless we are voiceless. And why so ?.

    By :
    exquisiteur
    - Posted on :
    14/09/2013

  • George Mc
    We all know what the EU is , its democratic deficit .
    I write with tongue in cheek . The EU is like a massive supertanker without a rudder , it doesn't matter who takes the helm , there is no certainty as to what direcion it will take . Politicians trying to pretend the economic crisis is over , showing microscopic upturns are fooling themselves . Any new president of the commission will be faced with the delemma as Barosso ," All Hands To The Pumps " to keep the ship afloat .

    By :
    David Barneby
    - Posted on :
    15/09/2013

  • >>> But today's survey showed a spike in shared identity. More than five out of 10 citizens defined themselves as both "national" and "European"

    I'm happy to live in such exciting times. We can observe with our own eyes the birth of a new nation - the European nation!

    I hope in 2030 10 out of 10 citizens will define themselves as European. Not "British" or "German", but European.

    By :
    Otto
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ Otto

    You know how it goes Otto, if you want to use Poll info provide a link so that we can check the information for ourselves. Otherwise it is just words and rubbish at that.

    PS we know you would not tell Porkie Pies!

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • Otto

    You have a fertile immagination .

    By :
    David Barneby
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • George Mc

    It was a citation from this article.

    David Barneby

    I'm sure the Fathers of the American nation heard such words many times.

    By :
    Otto
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ otto

    It was a citation from this article.

    ??????????????

    My mind reading skill are not what they used to be!

    If you don't know how to add a link just type it in!

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • George Mc

    http://www.euractiv.com/eu-elections-2014/europeans-want-input-ec-presiden-news-530292

    The "More European, less trustful" part, second paragraph

    By :
    Otto
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ Otto

    You are trying to put a positive spin on your beliefs and that is fine. However the real problem is Sixty percent of Europeans "tended not to trust the EU".

    This poll, as is so often, can depend quite a lot as to where and how the question was asked.

    You can almost guarantee that people will say yes lets elect rather than appoint. It is what happens afterwards, say three years on and the new Man or Women manages to change very little or nothing at all.

    Would you then like to tell me what the percentage who are disillusioned will be be? I think it will be huge. Even Van Rumpy Pumpy has said so about directly electing a President.

    Electing the President it itself will do very little. You need to fix everything else before you get there.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ Otto

    You are trying to put a positive spin on your beliefs and that is fine. However the real problem is Sixty percent of Europeans "tended not to trust the EU".

    This poll, as is so often, can depend quite a lot as to where and how the question was asked.

    You can almost guarantee that people will say yes lets elect rather than appoint. It is what happens afterwards, say three years on and the new Man or Women manages to change very little or nothing at all.

    Would you then like to tell me what the percentage who are disillusioned will be be? I think it will be huge. Even Van Rumpy Pumpy has said so about directly electing a President.

    Electing the President it itself will do very little. You need to fix everything else before you get there.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ Otto

    You are trying to put a positive spin on your beliefs and that is fine. However the real problem is Sixty percent of Europeans "tended not to trust the EU".

    This poll, as is so often, can depend quite a lot as to where and how the question was asked.

    You can almost guarantee that people will say yes lets elect rather than appoint. It is what happens afterwards, say three years on and the new Man or Women manages to change very little or nothing at all.

    Would you then like to tell me what the percentage who are disillusioned will be be? I think it will be huge. Even Van Rumpy Pumpy has said so about directly electing a President.

    Electing the President it itself will do very little. You need to fix everything else before you get there.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ Otto

    You are trying to put a positive spin on your beliefs and that is fine. However the real problem is Sixty percent of Europeans "tended not to trust the EU".

    This poll, as is so often, can depend quite a lot as to where and how the question was asked.

    You can almost guarantee that people will say yes lets elect rather than appoint. It is what happens afterwards, say three years on and the new Man or Women manages to change very little or nothing at all.

    Would you then like to tell me what the percentage who are disillusioned will be be? I think it will be huge. Even Van Rumpy Pumpy has said so about directly electing a President.

    Electing the President it itself will do very little. You need to fix everything else before you get there.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • Sorry about the triple post - mouse needed new batteries.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @George Mc

    81% of Americans don't trust government:

    http://www.gallup.com/poll/5392/trust-government.aspx

    I'm sure British polls will show similar numbers.
    So, actually, 60% is not such a bad thing.

    You told me how "undemocratic" the EU is. And today you oppose the idea of directly elected EU president.
    Are you kidding?
    You need a Queen of the EU and an unelected House of European Lords or what?

    By :
    Otto
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • One more thing about trust:
    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/bruno-in-brussels-eu-unplugged/brusselsbruno/322/eu-polling-shows-that-the-british-are-anti-eu-because-they-are-truly-european/

    68% of Britons don't trust the EU
    AND
    76% of Britons don't trust British government.

    Actually, there are more UK-skeptics in the UK then EU-skeptics :-)

    By :
    Otto
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

  • @ Otto
    I am perfectly happy with my country and how it is governed (yes like anywhere else I am sure we can find improvements. I am not against Europeans doing what ever turns them on or pleases them. All I said was that the electorate could be very disappointed if that person was unable to change things. For what you are talking about a load more changes need to be entertained.

    Everything is top down and the model the Eu uses has too many fault lines. Let's start with the most powerful decision-making body, the Council of Ministers, is responsible through its members to parliaments and electorates in every EU country.

    In order to explode this particular myth – that the Council somehow adds democratic legitimacy to the European Union – we simply need to look at what the Council is, and what it does.
    Firstly, the Council itself. In fact there are many "Councils" each dealing with specific policy areas – like environment, transport, fisheries, agriculture, etc. Their members are the sectoral ministers from the member states, each council comprising the same number of ministers as there are member states.
    So what do they do?
    The answer to that is quite simple – they "legislate". That is, they receive proposals from the unelected Commission, asking them to take powers and/or responsibilities from their member state governments (or to impose obligations on their citizens).
    They then turn these proposals into laws, giving the Commission the powers it asks for – often acting by qualified majority voting - thereby depriving their own governments (and/or citizens) of power.
    From then on, the Commission having been given the power, it keeps it, to exercise as it thinks fit. The Council has no further part to play in the process, unless or until the Commission comes back to ask it to amend or extend those powers (or both).
    Does the Council maintain an oversight over how those powers are exercised? No.
    Has the Council any power to call the Commission to account over the way it uses its powers? No.
    Can the Council remove or modify those powers, if it is unsatisfied with the way the Commission is performing? No.
    Does the Council even have the power to ask the Commission for information on its performance? Er… No.
    So what is the Council?
    In effect, it is a transfer station. On the basis of proposals from the Commission, it handles the process of taking powers from member states, packaging them up and shovelling them into the Commission, for them never to be returned.
    Does it ask the electorate in advance - through an election manifesto - what powers it should hand over? No.

    And is any record kept of which particular ministers vote for what, so that they can be taken to task by their electorates, if they vote the wrong way? No.

    That's democratic?

    No it isn't, the UK needs to leave and then what you and the rest do will be of little concern to us.

    By :
    George Mc
    - Posted on :
    16/09/2013

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Survey 01
Eurobarometer polls citizen's EU interest and expectations, one year before the next European Parliament elections
Background: 

The European elections will be held in all EU countries in May 2014. It will be the eighth European Parliament contest since the first direct elections in 1979.

The Lisbon Treaty states that the European Parliament shall elect the Commission president on the basis of a proposal made by the European Council, taking into account the European elections (Article 17, Paragraph 7 of the TEU). This will apply for the first time in the 2014 elections.

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