Welcome to Tweets of the Week. This week, Selmayr’s promotion sparks attacks, Barroso’s ethics are allegedly lax, and post-Brexit Britain won’t be like Mad Max.
On Wednesday, Juncker’s right-hand man Martin Selmayr – described by the FT as “one of the most powerful and contentious backroom figures in Brussels” – became Secretary General of the European Commission.
One of the most powerful and contentious backroom figures in Brussels — and someone who has clashed with Downing Street over Brexit — has been appointed as the top civil servant at the European Commission, the EU's executive agency https://t.co/rTPcBDlgJq
— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) February 21, 2018
The Commission reckons he’s like Picard taking over from Captain Kirk… really?!
From Kirk to Picard
From Italianer to Selmayr pic.twitter.com/zNQ1foCskU— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) February 21, 2018
Ryan Heath says Selmayr has won the 2019 election before it even started. Who needs #Spitzenkandidaten?
Who needs #Spitzenkandidaten? Martin Selmayr has won the 2019 European election before it even started, by jumping from Juncker's office to get himself appointed as Secretary-General of @EU_Commission in Brussels https://t.co/FxRx5qbAPR
— Ryan Heath (@PoliticoRyan) February 21, 2018
And revealed that Commissioners were only told about the promotion minutes before it was announced.
Telling that #EU HR head @GOettingerEU was only told about Martin Selmayr's new job last night. Other Commissioners found out minutes before. Meeting agenda falsely advertised which job Selmayr was in line for … this in the organization that lectures others on rule of law.
— Ryan Heath (@PoliticoRyan) February 21, 2018
Camino Mortera said Selmayr might need a re-brand as there was nothing more delightfully EU-esque than a Dutch man with a German-sounding name called ‘Italianer’ at the head of the European Commission.
He may need to get re-branded, as there was nothing more delightfully EU-esque than having a Dutch man with a German-sounding name called 'Italianer' at the head of the European Commission. Maybe you can start a poll: Manuel Selmayr? Martin de Selmayré von EU?
— Camino Mortera (@CaminoMortera) February 21, 2018
The ECR Group was skeptical about how “open and fair” the competition for the top job was.
Looking forward to seeing the @EU_Commission release the results of the competition held for candidates for Secretary General. Congratulations to Martin #Selmayr for winning this open and fair competition! 🤔 https://t.co/Vfu5SpsVGF
— ECR Group (@ecrgroup) February 21, 2018
Parody account Martini Seltzermayr tweeted: “After giving myself a very tough interview I decided that, on balance, I was the right candidate for the job.”
After giving myself a very tough interview I decided that, on balance, I was the right candidate for the job https://t.co/PUcci4xpCk
— Martini Seltzermayr (@mseltzermayr) February 21, 2018
And Juncker attempted to head off jobs-for-boys criticism by saying Selmayr has “many qualities to fulfil his mission.”
Selmayr has 'many qualities to fulfil his mission' says Juncker. And adds, to counter poss jobs-for-boys criticism, that not unprecedented for EC president chief of staff to move to sec gen
— Danny Kemp (@dannyctkemp) February 21, 2018
Selmayr’s replacement as Juncker’s head of cabinet, Clara Martinez Alberola, is the first woman to hold the position.
And as of Wednesday, the percentage of women in management at the Commission has grown substantially.
Today’s appointments will significantly boost the representation of women in the posts of Director-General and Deputy Director-General of the Commission, respectively up from 11% in 2014 to 36% now, and up from 8% to 40% → https://t.co/BfrsnqDoAm #TeamJunckerEU pic.twitter.com/vqvTQvWzwE
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) February 21, 2018
Including the first woman in charge of Eurostat, Mariana Kotseva.
This morning, @MarianaKotzeva has been appointed as Director General of Eurostat: the first woman at the helm of Eurostat and the first Bulgarian Director General in @EU_Commission pic.twitter.com/zawTD8SOuV
— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) February 21, 2018
Staying with the Commission, former president Jose Manuel Barroso was back in the firing line this week for allegedly lobbying the commission on behalf of Goldman Sachs.
Commission Vice President Jyrki Katainen confirmed he met with Barroso in October.
Vice-President Jyrki Katainen confirmed he had a lobby meeting with ex-Commission President Barroso where he represented investment bank Goldman Sachs International.
ALTER-EU is now asking the European Commission to re-assess Barroso's job.https://t.co/jYrixOJNBQ pic.twitter.com/yWZQeu3p1m— ALTER-EU (@ALTEREU) February 20, 2018
But said they are friends and Barroso did not actually lobby him. All they did was “go for a beer.”
"I proposed: let's go for a beer … You have to understand, we are friends. He did not lobby me."
Exclusive#Katainen explains: My friend #Barroso did not lobby me https://t.co/Ridtas64tK
— EUobserver (@euobs) February 20, 2018
Juncker also defended Barroso saying he is “not a gangster.”
Comissão Europeia. Juncker: "Barroso não é um gangster" https://t.co/4p7xahvt8B
— Público (@Publico) February 21, 2018
In response to the news, Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said she simply doesn’t meet with lobbyists, and that makes her life very easy.
"I took the decision not to meet with lobbyist. That makes my life very easy"@vestager, European Commissioner for Competition pic.twitter.com/LfDfGEeyVK
— Pablo Pérez 🇪🇺 (@PabloPerezA) February 21, 2018
But Laurence Norman wondered which is more damning for Barroso: Vestager calling him a lobbyist or Juncker calling him a friend!
Not sure which is more damning on @JMDBarroso: @vestager calling him a lobbyist or @JunckerEU calling him "my friend."
— laurence norman (@laurnorman) February 21, 2018
Finally, a lesson in setting the bar ridiculously low: David Davis said on Monday that Brexit won’t plunge Britain into a “Mad Max Dystopia.”
David Davis has set the bar pretty low with his promise that we won't have a #MadMaxBrexit – I guess we're supposed to feel relieved by this i.e. anything better than the mad max scenario is a bonus 😂😂
— Margaret Lodge #FBPE (@MargaretLodgeLD) February 20, 2018
Louise Day wasn’t so sure: “A terrifying, relentless, treacherous journey in pursuit of a former utopia that no longer exists…” sounds like Mad Max to me.
The terrifying, relentless and treacherous journey in pursuit of a former utopia that no longer exists… sounds like a #MadMaxBrexit to me.
— Louise Larnach Day (@louisedaytoday) February 22, 2018
But if Brexit isn’t Mad Max, what film is it? Ahhh this is what Twitter was made for!
David Davis says Brexit will not create a Mad Max world.
So what film is Brexit most like? pic.twitter.com/Lyx7ZrNPhq
— James Crisp (@JamesCrisp6) February 20, 2018
Suggestions include The Great Escape, V for Vendetta, Titanic, Looney Toons…
And a few films that haven’t been made yet, like Brexit at Tiffany’s, There’s Something About May, Honey I Shrunk the Economy…
And of course the photoshoppers were out in force. Our favourite is Guy Emanuel’s dystopian vision of Prime Minister’s Question Time.
Post-Brexit PMQs #MadMaxBrexit pic.twitter.com/RLYZxOOpDf
— Guy Emanuel (@guy_emanuel) February 20, 2018
This week we are supported by FoodDrinkEurope. To celebrate the single market’s 25th birthday, they invite you to share a photo of your pantry using the hashtag #PantriesofEurope.
The #SingleMarket is turning 25! To celebrate the food & drink diversity it allows us to enjoy across #Europe, share a photo of your pantry using #PantriesofEurope! pic.twitter.com/vIO1962O17
— FoodDrinkEurope (@FoodDrinkEU) February 19, 2018
That’s all for this week. Join me again next week for more laughs and gaffes in the Brussels Bubble Twittersphere and send in your suggestions using the hashtag #EUTweets.