About: Spitzenkandidaten
Europe’s ambitious but uncertain future on show at Bratislava forum
As Globsec’s 2019 forum in Bratislava kicked off earlier this week, EURACTIV went along to listen to world leaders from politics, civil society and business on the Future of Europe. Here we present a summary of the main talking points in the field, across the first two days.
Macron already taking shots at remodelling Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron wants to change the Spitzenkandidaten process to ensure a strong European executive. According to him, the programme comes first, and only then the candidate who could implement it. EURACTIV France reports.
Gender balance becomes paramount in race for top EU jobs
Initial battle lines were drawn between member states over who will replace Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission President on Tuesday (28 May) as EU leaders met to discuss “no names, just process”, in preparation for a decisive summit in June.
Parliament calls for Spitzenkandidat to be respected, liberals oppose it
The process of naming the next Commission president should respect the Spitzenkandidaten system, the leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament said in a joint statement on Tuesday (28 May), despite opposition from the liberal ALDE group.
Will they step down? Five Commissioners elected as MEPs
Five members of the Juncker Commission have been elected as MEPs, the EU executive confirmed on Tuesday (28 May). What remains to be seen is whether they will take their seats in the European Parliament or stay on as Commissioners.
EU leaders launch hunt to fill Brussels’ top jobs
European leaders descend on Brussels on Tuesday (28 May) to launch the hunt for a new generation of top EU officials in the wake of elections that shook up traditional alliances.
The race for EU top posts heats up
Familiar faces and new names will be competing for the EU’s top jobs, as capitals are starting to manoeuvre and prepare the ground for their preferred candidates, EURACTIV has found out after talking to EU officials and diplomats.
Manfred Weber, a late convert to environmentalism
Despite his Christian convictions, the lead candidate for the European People’s Party (EPP) at this week’s EU elections has remained remarkably silent on defining environmental issues such as climate change before suddenly changing gear at the end of his campaign.
The EU Game of Thrones explained
This week's European parliamentary elections will launch a scramble for the continent's top leadership jobs, but won't decide the winners. Here is a guide to the horsetrading.
European election list leaders unite against the right
The main candidates for the European Commission's presidency opposed Manfred Weber, the candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), despite it being the group that will likely come out as the winner in the elections. EURACTIV France reports.
First clashes liven up last EU Spitzenkandidat debate ahead of election
The six lead candidates of the main political parties laid out their visions of Europe on Wednesday evening (15 May), clashing over jobs and climate change in their last televised debate before the EU elections.
European election candidates consider next steps for EU media policy
Lead candidates for the upcoming European elections are pondering ways of safeguarding the media sector's integrity in light of persistent economic challenges and emerging threats like Russian disinformation.
Spitzenkandidaten survives Sibiu, Tusk calls summit for 28 May
Europe’s leaders on Thursday (9 May) agreed to attend an emergency summit immediately after the EU elections on 28 May, as European Council President Donald Tusk said he wanted to have the distribution of the bloc’s top jobs decided in June.
Margrethe Vestager, a competitive approach to environmental policy
EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, a Liberal candidate to be the next Commission President, believes the key to improving Europe’s environment and fighting climate change will be implementing the laws already on the books.
Timmermans calls on all EU members to adopt minimum wage
European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans on Monday (6 May) called for each EU member to have a minimum wage equivalent to 60% of its median salary to reduce the bloc's growing wealth gap.
EPP divorce looms after Orban rejects Weber as Spitzenkandidat
The leader of Germany's conservatives said she expected Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party would quit Europe's main centre-right group after he withdrew support for the bloc's candidate to head the European Commission.
Pro-European candidates for EU election identify Council as the ‘common enemy’
An oddly uncontroversial debate between the lead candidates of the four major pro-European political families at this month's EU elections took place in Florence on Thursday (2 May).
First Spitzenkandidaten debate falls flat
Five candidates vying to become the next European Commission president sparred and bantered in the first European election debate, which fell flat in the absence of Manfred Weber, candidate of the largest political group.
UK should ‘cool down’, ditch Brexit – Timmermans
Britain should use the next few months to "cool down and rethink" its decision to leave the European Union, the socialist candidate to head the next European Commission, Frans Timmermans, said on Wednesday (17 April).
Timmermans invites EU members to ‘bite the bullet’ on rule of law
The European Commission launched on Wednesday (3 April) a process of reflection about whether member states would agree to be supervised on possible breaches of rule of law. The Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said it is now up to the capitals to decide if they want to “bite the bullet”.
EPP has ‘lost all credibility’ after Orbán scandal, Verhofstadt says
The European People's Party has “lost all credibility and moral authority to lead the EU,” ALDE's leader Guy Verhofstadt has said, following the EPP's decision to suspend but not expel Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party.
France targeting Commission presidency over top ECB job
France will push for the presidency of the European Commission rather than the European Central Bank when top EU jobs come up for negotiations later this year, three sources briefed on discussions over the matter said.
Hungary covers posters featuring Juncker during Weber’s visit
The head of the European Parliament's dominant centre-right bloc met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Tuesday (12 March), again calling for the populist leader to apologise for an anti-EU billboard campaign.