About: Spitzenkandidaten
Austrian ex-chancellor Kern to run for centre-left Spitzenkandidat
As expected, opposition leader Christian Kern said yesterday (18 September) he would run as top candidate for the Austrian Social Democrats in the European Parliament elections next year, aiming to help build a strong counterweight to growing nationalist forces.
Sefcovic officially enters the Spitzenkandidaten battle
Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič announced officially on Monday (17 September) his candidacy to be the leading candidate of his social-democrat political group in the campaign for the 2019 European elections.
Macron seeks new ‘progressive’ coalition for 2019 European elections
French President Emmanuel Macron wants to shake up the EU political ecosystem, hoping to forge a new progressive alliance at the end of this year for the 2019 European Parliament elections, a source in his office said on Wednesday (5 September).
Spitzenkandidaten: A Bavarian on the Commission throne?
Only a few contributions from the ranks of the Bavarian CSU in recent months suggested their competence on European issues. Now one of them is aiming for the highest post Brussels has to offer. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Austria’s ex-Chancellor Kern as Spitzenkandidat?
Ahead of the 2019 European elections, there are considerations whether former Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern could become a Spitzenkandidat for the Austrian SPÖ for the European election campaign. EURACTIV Germany reports from Vienna.
Weber to announce candidacy focusing on migration
Blessed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and backed by big national delegations, Germany’s CSU heavyweight Manfred Weber is expected to soon confirm his candidacy for the post of the new European Commission president, with migration emerging as the top issue on his agenda.
Merkel chooses Weber as candidate for EU top job
Angela Merkel has given her backing to fellow German conservative Manfred Weber's bid to front the centre-right's campaign in next year's European Parliament elections, several German newspapers reported on Thursday (30 August).
Finns Stubb and Katainen leave door open to EU Commission top job
Former Finnish prime ministers Alexander Stubb and Jyrki Katainen left open the possibility on Saturday (9 June) that they would run to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as the EU executive’s president next year.
EU energy chief eyes Commission top job
Slovakia's member of the European Commission declared his candidacy on Monday (4 June) to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as the EU executive's president, promising to try to ease tensions between western states and newer members from the ex-communist east.
LREM’s first step towards the 2019 EU elections
En Marche will launch its “Grande Marche pour l’Europe” on the 24 March, the first step in its roadmap for the 2019 European elections. EURACTIV.fr reports
Elmar Brok: Macron wants to ‘weaken’ the European Parliament
EXCLUSIVE / French President Emmanuel Macron wants to “weaken” the European Parliament with his opposition to the Spitzenkandidaten process, European People’s Party influential MEP Elmar Brok warned in an interview with EURACTIV.com. Brok, who is a close ally of Chancellor...
Rift between Juncker and Tusk deepens over Spitzenkandidat process
EU leaders have dealt a blow to the controversial Spitzenkandidat system of electing a European Commission president, setting themselves up for a fight with the European Parliament. The rift between Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council chief Donald Tusk deepened as the two officials clashed over the process.
EU summit to stay away from anything requiring treaty change
The informal EU-27 summit on Friday (23 February) will discuss the preparation of the 2019 European elections, institutional issues and the next long-term EU budget. But diplomats said the leaders would steer clear of any big decisions that would require treaty change.
Macron’s agenda for the informal summit
If the implementation of transnational lists for the 2019 European elections does not appear to be panning out as Emmanuel Macron wished, the French president now hopes to gain the upper hand on the appointment of the next European Commission president. EURACTIV.fr reports
Polish citizens ‘getting happier and happier’, ministers say
Polish citizens are happy, the economy is booming and the support for the conservative government is at an all-time high. That was the message two Polish ministers delivered to the Brussels press corps on Monday (19 February).
Seeking post-Brexit unity, EU leaders find more fights
EU leaders face difficult talks this week on the thorny issues of how to plug holes in the post-Brexit budget and choose a successor for European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker.
Juncker jabs at Macron as EU jobs race heats up
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker chided French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday (14 February) for failing to form clear Europe-wide party political alliances, as manoeuvring warms up over next year's EU parliament elections.
Trans-Europe Express: Mistrust is gaining ground in Europe
The wind of enthusiasm blown by the victory of President Emmanuel Macron last June has vanished. In a historic vote on Wednesday, the European Parliament rejected the innovative idea of transnational lists.
MEPs and EU leaders on collision course over Spitzenkandidaten process
MEPs are ready to pick a fight with EU leaders and reject any candidate for EU Commission president who is not voted for by the European electorate after a transparent and open process, like in the 2014 elections.
Summit to set rules in race to succeed Juncker
The race to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the first post-Brexit European Commission begins later this month – and in typical EU style it is starting with a row about how the race should be run.
New S&D figurehead: We expect the Romanian justice minister to speak in plenary
Maria João Rodrigues, who is emerging as the most prominent figurehead in the European Parliament's S&D group, made it plain on Thursday (1 February) that her political group is quite critical of its Romanian affiliate member, the ruling social-democrat PSD.
The race to succeed Juncker begins
With the next European Parliament elections just over a year away, the guessing games and rumour mills about who will helm the EU institutions into the next decade have already fired up. EURACTIV Germany’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Europe’s right in free fall as socialists surge
Marine Le Pen and the German far-right are suddenly losing votes but it remains to be seen how long the strong socialist rise led by Martin Schulz and Benoît Hamon will continue. EURACTIV’s partner Treffpunkteuropa reports.