All posts tagged Martin Schulz

28
Oct

Merkel to back Schulz?

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According to German news magazine Der Spiegel, Angela Merkel is understood to informally support Martin Schulz‘s bid to be the next President of the European Commission.

According to the article she is prepared to offer informal support and sees Schulz as someone with whom she can work should the Party of European Socialists (PES) win the European Parliament elections. The article also indicates that Merkel wishes to strengthen the Commission’s powers and so would like to have someone at the head of the body with whom she has a good working relationship.

Der Spiegel adds that Merkel hopes Schulz will help ensure a more social approach to dealing with the crisis and thereby help Merkel to be seen as a more pro-European leader.

Her support of Martin Schulz is also used to explain her hesitation against nominating a common candidate for the European People’s Party.

The print edition of Der Spiegel is published today and the online version of the article (in English) is available here.

DE-primeMartin Schulz

11
Oct

Europe Decides Weekly – 11 October

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Top stories: 5-11 October 2013

  • EPP founding father Wilfried Martens dies: The former Belgian prime minister and President of the European People’s Party, Wilfried Martens, passed away during the night of 9 October. He was 77 years old. Martens had handed over his duties as EPP leader to Joseph Daul, EPP Group chair, on 8 October, due to his deteriorating health. He will receive a state funeral on Saturday 19 October in the Saint Bavo cathedral in Ghent. The Parliament.com; EU Business; New Europe; EurActiv; European Voice; EPP; ALDE Group; ALDE; PES; European Greens; AECR; Statement by Herman Van Rompuy
  • Socialists & Democrats endorse Schulz’s application as candidate for Commission presidency: On 9 October the S&D Group endorsed the application of European Parliament president Martin Schulz to be the Party of European Socialists’ candidate to be European Commission president. Schulz has been nominated by his German party, the SPD, and backed by the French Socialist Party and the S&D group. S&D; Europolitics
  • Polls in France suggest victory for far right: France’s National Front party has come out top in a poll of how French voters intend to cast their ballot in next year’s EU elections. The magazine that carried out the survey, Le Nouvel Observateur, remarks that the poll is “of course not a prediction. But it describes a new reality in French political life.” EU Observer; EurActiv; Telegraph; The Corner; Euronews; The Guardian

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04
Oct

Europe Decides Weekly – 4 October

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Top stories: 28 September to 4 October 2013

  • PES opens nominations for ‘Common Candidate’ selection for next year’s European elections: On 1 October the Party of European Socialists (PES) officially opened the process to accept nominations for the position of candidate for Commission President, ahead of the European elections. The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, is the clear favourite. The nomination period will be open until 31 October. PES; Europolitics; Euractiv
  • Frattini puts himself forward for Nato chief post: Franco Frattini, a former Italian foreign minister, has said he is a candidate to be the next Nato chief. In a Le Monde interview, Frattini said his experience dealing with security issues when he was EU commissioner, as well as the fact that he comes from a Mediterranean region country, make him a leading candidate for the job. EUObserver

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01
Oct

PES fires starting pistol on candidates race

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The Party of European Socialists (PES) announced today the opening of a process of nominations to be the ‘common candidate’ of the Party for the European Parliament elections. This candidate would then be put forward as the PES candidate for the European Commission President.

In a statement, the PES said that the nominations process – which will last until the end of October – “is designed to meet the many demands for a more democratic and transparent way to designate key European Union posts. It is also hoped that it will increase interest in the election”.

According to the Party, each nominee needs to be supported by 15% of PES full member parties or organisations (at least one nominating the candidate, plus five other supporters). The PES Presidency will hold a meeting on 6 November to verify the process and announce the nominee(s), with the candidate being selected at the PES Election Congress in February 2014. The PES manifesto will be adopted at the same meeting.

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22
Aug

Simon Hix: Why 2014 could be the first genuinely European elections

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Simon HixThe European Parliament elections in May 2014 may be the first genuinely ‘European’ elections.

This might seem an odd claim, given that the Parliament has been elected every five years since 1979.  Until now, though, ‘Europe’ has actually played a minor role in these contests.  As mid-term contests in national election cycles, European Parliament elections have been dominated by national politicians and parties rather than by European-level politicians and parties or the future direction of the European Union.

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17
Jul

Europe looks to Berlin

www.wahl.de/blog/130717/europa-schaut-nach-berlin-was-die-bundestagswahl-fuer-die-eu-bedeutet

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BerlinThe elections to the European Parliament – and the subsequent institutional game of musical chairs – are almost a year away.

However, the debate on the future direction of the European Union has already started – and the German elections in September will be an important indicator of the road down which Europe will head.

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