All posts tagged José Manuel Barroso

24

Oct

Europe Decides Weekly – 24 October

Tags: David Cameron, Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group, Frans Timmermans, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Maroš Šefčovič, Matteo Renzi, Miguel Arias Cañete, Nigel Farage, Socialists & Democrats Group

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 24 October 2014

Top stories: 18-24 October 2014

Juncker Commission approved after last-minute portfolio changes: The European Parliament has approved the new European Commission by 423 votes to 209. Speaking to the assembly before the vote, Jean-Claude Juncker, who will assume the Commission presidency on 1 November, stated that his college represented the “last chance” to restore citizens’ trust. Following the hearings, Juncker slightly reshuffled the distribution of portfolios. Among the changes, sustainable development policies were added to Frans Timmermans’ portfolio as Socialist MEPs were concerned about climate policy coming under the responsibility of Miguel Arias Cañete. The Commission was formally appointed by the European Council on Thursday. EurActiv; European Parliament; European Voice; EurActiv; EurActiv; European Voice; EU Reporter; European Voice; Europe Decides Twitter; Europolitics

Polish MEP saves Farage’s group: Robert Iwaszkiewicz, an MEP from Poland’s Congress of the New Right party, has joined the Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Group, saving it from being disbanded. The Group, led by Nigel Farage, faced collapse following the withdrawal of a Latvian deputy. Iwaszkiewicz’s arrival caused a stir in the European Parliament, as KNP leader Janusz Korwin-Mikke, a deputy for less than four months, has already been suspended by the institution for using racist language, and Iwaszkiewicz himself had made remarks about hitting women. Iwaszkiewicz said he joined the group to oppose to EU bureaucracy and support the free market. EUObserver; EurActiv; EFDD; Europolitics; Yahoo News; European Voice

Barroso bows out before MEPs: On 21 October José Manuel Barroso made a valedictory address as European Commission President. During his speech in the European Parliament he highlighted his greatest achievements and memories, including collecting the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the European Union. Critics say that his Commission was too fixed on austerity, failed to create economic growth and jobs, and saw a weakening of the institution. EUObserver

17

Oct

Europe Decides Weekly – 17 October

Tags: Alenka Bratusek, Catalonia, Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Mariano Rajoy, Marine Le Pen, Maroš Šefčovič, Martin Schulz, Nigel Farage, Ukip, Viktor Orbán

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 17 October 2014

Top stories: 11-17 October 2014

Bulc gets nod for Transport, Šefčovič promoted to Energy Union: Jean-Claude Juncker, the President-elect of the European Commission, has reshuffled his team following the Council’s approval of his new list of commissioners-designate, featuring Violeta Bulc. Currently Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Bulc was given Juncker’s backing to join the team after a meeting between the two earlier this week. Pending approval by the European Parliament, Bulc will take the Transport portfolio, with Maroš Šefčovič replacing the original Slovenian nominee, Alenka Bratušek, as Vice-President for the Energy Union. Both face hearings by MEPs on Monday evening. Juncker is expected to announce other small changes to portfolios ahead of a vote of the Parliament on his team on Wednesday. If all proceeds as planned, the new Commission will take office on time on 1 November. EUObserver; European Voice; Europolitics; EurActiv

Farage’s group collapses as Latvian quits: The Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) Group, led by Nigel Farage of the UK Independence Party, has folded following the departure of Latvian MEP Iveta Grigule. The EFDD Group was left with representation from only six member states. Grigule becomes an independent MEP, but will also become Chair of a parliamentary delegation to central Asia. Farage alleges that other groups and the Parliament’s President, Martin Schulz, said they would back Grigule for the position – which would normally have been allocated to the EFDD Group – only if she quit the Group, causing it to collapse. There were also reports that the pro-Russian positions of some in the EFDD Group were causing disquiet in Latvia, where Grigule’s Union of Greens and Farmers is seeking to join the governing coalition. The news is a blow to Farage, who will be denied privileged speaking opportunities and funding for his party. There are also rumours that Marine Le Pen, who failed to form a radical right-wing group after the European elections, may seek to pick up members of the EFDD Group to form a new alliance. EurActiv; Europolitics; EUObserver; European Voice; New Europe; Daily Mail Online; BBC News; Deutsche Welle

Fidesz tightens grip on power after municipal elections win: Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, has continued his steady consolidation of power following local elections. His governing Fidesz party won control of all county assemblies and the vast majority of the largest cities, including the capital, Budapest. The far-right Jobbik party won a number of mayoralties and finished second, ahead of the Socialists, in many other towns and cities. Financial Times; New Europe; BBC News; New York Times

27

Sep

Who will be the social media champion of #TeamJunckerEU?

Tags: Federica Mogherini, Frans Timmermans, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Miguel Arias Cañete, Twitter

Comments: 3

Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Commission team faces questions from Members of the European Parliament next week – but they already being probed on Twitter.

So how well are the commissioners-designate prepared to engage online – and who will be the social media king or queen of the new Commission?

Download our PDF infographic of the new European Commission on Twitter

There are more commissioners-designate on Twitter than serving commissioners – which is no surprise. Despite the fact that the Juncker team has more senior national experience than José Manuel Barroso’s team, they have fewer followers on average (19,000 in Juncker’s team as opposed to 26,500 in Barroso’s). However, their accounts should quickly gain followers – if they survive the hearings.

Pierre Moscovici, a former French finance minister, Commissioner-designate for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, and a relatively early adopter of Twitter, has the largest following – just over 109,000. (Barroso is the most-followed Twitter user in the current team, with 121,000 followers.) Read more

05

Sep

Europe Decides Weekly – 5 September

Tags: Alenka Bratusek, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party, Dacian Cioloș, Dalia Grybauskaite, Donald Tusk, European People's Party, Federica Mogherini, Frans Timmermans, Greens / European Free Alliance Group, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Party of European Socialists, Radosław Sikorski, Socialists & Democrats Group

Comments: 1

Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 5 September 2014

Top stories: 30 August to 5 September 2014

Tusk and Mogherini appointed to EU’s top jobs: The European Council made two senior appointments at a summit on Saturday, electing Poland’s Prime Minster, Donald Tusk, as the next President of the European Council, and appointing Italy’s Foreign Minister, Federica Mogherini, as Commission Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Tusk received the unanimous backing of his fellow leaders while Mogherini was backed by all except the Lithuanian President, Dalia Grybauskaite, who abstained. European Voice; EurActiv; Inet Post; EUObserver; New York Times; New Europe; SBS; Polskie Radio; wn.com; Newzulu; Bloomberg

Juncker names Commission team: Jean-Claude Juncker has interviewed all nominees for positions in the European Commission as he continues to prepare his College. The final list of nominees, which comprises 14 members of the European People’s Party (including Juncker), eight from the Party of European Socialists, five Liberals and a Conservative, must be agreed by the Council. Juncker will then announce the distribution of portfolios and the way he intends to organise the work of the next European Commission. This announcement is expected early next week. All candidates will then go through hearings in the European Parliament, before a final vote on the entire Commission. EurActiv; EUObserver; New Europe

Juncker meets Parliament’s gender balance target: Jean-Claude Juncker’s list of nominees for the Commission includes nine women – the same number as were appointed to the Barroso II Commission in 2010. Four of the women come from the Liberals, with three from the EPP and two Socialists. The Socialists, Greens and Liberals in the European Parliament had threatened to veto the College unless the gender balance matched that of the current team, although it falls short of the ‘ten or more’ women demanded by the current female commissioners. Two countries switched nominees this week from men to women: Romania named Corina Crețu, a Social Democrat and vice-president of the European Parliament, to replace Dacian Cioloș, while Poland nominated Elżbieta Bieńkowska, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister, to replace Radosław Sikorski, the Foreign Minister, after he failed in his bid to be made High Representative. New Europe; EurActiv; Europe Decides Twitter

06

Jul

Europe Decides Weekly – 4 July

Tags: Antonio Tajani, Antonis Samaras, David Cameron, European People's Party, European People's Party Group, Günther Oettinger, Janusz Lewandowski, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Jyrki Katainen, Martin Schulz, Matteo Renzi, Michel Barnier, Olli Rehn, Socialists & Democrats Group, Viviane Reding

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 4 July 2014

Top stories: 28 June to 4 July 2014

Schulz elected Parliament President in first test of ‘grand coalition’: Martin Schulz has been elected for a second time as President of the European Parliament. Schulz, who recently returned to lead the Socialists & Democrats group, won 409 out of 612 valid votes, winning in the first ballot. Of the other candidates – who participated in a pre-election debate that Schulz did not attend – British Conservative Sajjad Karim (ECR Group) took 101 votes, with Spanish far-left candidate Pablo Iglesias and Austrian Green Ulrike Lunacek taking 51 votes each. The vote was a successful first test of the grand coalition between the EPP, Socialists and Liberals, although Schulz faced criticism for benefitting from a ‘backroom deal’ having criticised such agreements during the European election campaign. Schulz keeps the presidency until 2017, when an EPP candidate – possibly France’s Alain Lamassoure – is thought likely to take over the position. Europa RAPID; S&D news; New Europe; Deutsche Welle; European Voice; EUObserver; Europolitics; EurActiv

Juncker vote in Parliament moved to 15 July as Cameron tries to patch up differences: The European Parliament has brought forward its vote to elect Jean-Claude Juncker as the new Commission president to 15 July, one day earlier than originally planned. This will give more time to EU leaders before they meet in Brussels on 16 July to decide on a package of other top EU jobs, including the presidency of the European Council. Juncker’s biggest opponent in the European Council, British Prime Minister David Cameron, called the President-designate last weekend to discuss reform and economic growth in Europe. Thanks to the ‘grand coalition’ agreement in the Parliament, Juncker is likely to be elected, but the Socialists have stated that their support is dependent on certain conditions, including an unbreakable commitment to promote investment, sustainable growth and decent, secure jobs, and a plan to tackle poverty and inequality. EUObserver; European Voice; Deutsche Welle; S&D news

Renzi steals the show as Greeks depart: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi saw his presentation of the priorities of the Italian Presidency of the Council greeted by warm applause from MEPs. Renzi focused on growth and values in his speech. The Commission and Parliament praised the work of the outgoing Greek Presidency. Greek PM Antonis Samaras said that from January to June, Greece had concluded 67 legislative initiatives and achieved consensus on another 15, addressing critical policy areas such as the economic and banking union, unemployment, and competitiveness and growth. Jose Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, said Greece “not only responded to crisis but also contributed constructively to the European agenda.” Europolitics; Italian Government news; Europarl news; European Voice; Europa RAPID

Post updated later on Wednesday 11 June to account for news that Dacian Cioloș (Agriculture and Rural Development; Romania) may be re-nominated to the Commission.

With the choice of a President of the European Commission still up in the air, we are a long way off knowing the full team that will occupy the upper floors of the Berlaymont for the next five years.

Nevertheless, national governments are already putting forward their proposed nominees to sit in the new College. Here’s our look at the comings and goings in the Commission in 2014, and the potential candidates to take a seat in the new Commission.

If you have comments or suggestions, please include them in the comments box.

See our country-by-country guide to the potential nominees Read more

Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 6 June 2014

Top stories: 31 May to 6 June 2014

Merkel backs Juncker but EU member states still at odds: National leaders are still discussing who should lead the new European Commission following the European elections. While the EPP Group is the strongest in the Parliament, it is still unclear as to whether the EPP candidate for Commission presidency, Jean-Claude Juncker, will be nominated by member states, after several of them expressed misgivings about his appointment. The UK’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, has allegedly indirectly threatened British exit from the EU should Juncker become President, telling Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, that the move may force him to bring forward his planned referendum on EU membership. Meanwhile, Juncker has received support from the rival candidate of the European Socialists, Martin Schulz, and Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras. They say that the EPP’s win in the elections means Juncker should be first in line to attempt to win a majority. EurActiv; Gulf News; New Europe; EUObserver; European Voice; Guardian; Euronews; Tagesschau; FAZ; Bloomberg; Irish Times; KTVL news; Deutsche Welle; Europolitics; Sunday Times; Twitter

Leaders and contenders consider Juncker alternatives: With question marks hanging over the candidacy of Jean-Claude Juncker, Angela Merkel has reportedly asked French President François Hollande whether he would consider nominating the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, to be the next President of the European Commission. French sources say that Hollande did not support the idea. Also in France, the name of Michel Barnier, who Juncker defeated to the EPP nomination, still circulates as a possible compromise candidate. Meanwhile Olli Rehn’s expected departure to the European Parliament is likely to see Finland’s current Prime Minister, Jyrki Katainen, head to Brussels as a commissioner. He is also under consideration as a possible successor to José Manuel Barroso, although Katainen is still backing Juncker’s candidacy. EurActiv; Reuters; Le Monde

Le Pen and Farage compete to attract MEPs as ECR numbers surge: Despite his victory in Britain’s European Parliament election, the leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip), Nigel Farage is struggling to secure the existence of his Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group. Farage is being squeezed by France’s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, who is trying to cobble together a far-right group called the ‘European Alliance for Freedom’ and has already wooed Italy’s Northern League away from the EFD, and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group. The ECR this week added ten members (going to 55 MEPs), including former members from the Danish People’s Party and the Finns, both parties having been previously aligned to the EFD. Slovakian, German and Greek members also joined the ECR, with decisions pending on Bulgaria Without Censorship and the Alternative for Germany (whose admission to the group of David Cameron’s Conservatives could anger Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, at a sensitive time in negotiations on the Commission presidency). Meanwhile Farage is trying to forge links with Italy’s Five Star Movement, but risks not having enough nationalities to re-form the EFD. European Voice; EUObserver; Novinite; Europe Decides; Twitter; Reuters; EurActiv

30

May

Five days on from the election: five reflections on the Commission presidency

Tags: Angela Merkel, David Cameron, Enda Kenny, European People's Party, Frederik Reinfeldt, Guy Verhofstadt, Herman Van Rompuy, Jean-Claude Juncker, José Manuel Barroso, Jyrki Katainen, Mark Rutte, Martin Schulz, Matteo Renzi, Michel Barnier, Party of European Socialists, Viktor Orbán

Comments: 4

This blogpost, originally published at 12:55 on Friday 30 May, has been updated following remarks by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, later on Friday afternoon.

That was the week that was: an odd few days where the European People’s Party won the European Parliament elections, but was also the biggest loser; and where Socialists in the Parliament backed the EPP lead candidate for the European Commission presidency, only for some centre-right leaders to apply the brakes in the European Council.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the EPP lead candidate, is still the frontrunner and the only person formally in the running. His chances have been boosted tanks to comments by the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, on Friday, that she is conducting negotiations on the basis that Juncker should be President.

However, it is clear that a number of heads of government would like to dump him in favour of someone else. The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, has been charged with an exploratory mission to find the person – Juncker included – who can command the sufficient majority in the Parliament and European Council.

Meanwhile, five political groups in the European Parliament have backed Juncker to have a first go at building majorities in the same institutions – and if he fails, are likely to call for Martin Schulz, lead candidate of the second-placed Socialists, to have a go.

If those who want to block Juncker in the European Council succeed – and it is not a done deal yet for the former Luxembourg prime minister – an inter-institutional battle between the Parliament and European Council will be on the cards.

05

May

Different states of independence

Tags: Catalonia, José Manuel Barroso, Mariano Rajoy, Scotland, Ukip

Comments: 1

One of the quirky sub-plots of this year’s European Parliament elections is that the success of one ‘independence’ movement could inadvertently boost the prospects of another.

Scotland’s independence referendum is just a few months away. The polls are tight: a recent poll says that 42% of Scots would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom, while 39% would support independence. The two campaigns are virtually neck-and-neck. This weekend, one of Scotland’s Sunday newspapers said it backed independence. Scotland’s destiny is in the balance.

A few events between now and 18 September could have a big impact – something that Alex Salmond (pictured above with European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso) Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), knows only too well.

One is the Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow, in July and August. These games – third largest multi-sport event in the world – bring together athletes from 70 countries. Scotland competes separately in these Games and, as host nation, it will aim to showcase its sporting and organisational prowess. Expect an abundance of national pride.

Another is the European Parliament election on 22 May. Scotland has only six MEPs, but the result across the United Kingdom will be keenly observed north of the border – and especially the expected success of the UK Independence Party (Ukip). Anti-EU feeling across the rest of Britain could easily make many Scots – generally more pro-European than the English are – vote to exit the UK now rather than be part of a British exit from the EU.

But where would independence leave Scotland, the UK and Europe?

Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 25 April 2014

Top stories: 19-25 April 2014

Van Rompuy comments unite Juncker and Schulz in criticism: The lead candidates for the centre-right and centre-left in the European elections, Jean-Claude Juncker (European People’s Party) and Martin Schulz (Party of European Socialists) have criticised the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, who stated that he was not a supporter of the lead candidates concept and that the member states will eventually choose the next Commission president. Juncker and Schulz stressed that the votes of EU citizens must be taken into account. A spokesperson for the current Commission President, José Manuel Barroso, described Van Rompuy’s remarks, made in an interview at the weekend with German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, as “premature”. EurActiv; European Voice; Europolitics; New Europe; Süddeutsche Zeitung

Election forecast sees EPP stay in first place: The latest round of predictions from PollWatch 2014 on the European Parliament elections sees the centre-right EPP maintain a lead over the Socialists and Democrats. According to the polls, the EPP will win 217 seats, nine ahead of the S&D on 208. The gap between third-place ALDE and the radical left, in fourth place, has grown, while the Greens have picked up support and are now level with the Conservative group on 41 seats. Europe Decides; Pollwatch

Nigel Farage launches Ukip campaign amid criticism of ‘racist’ rhetoric: Nigel Farage’s UK Independence Party (Ukip) has launched its campaign with posters alleging that the 26 million unemployed people in the European Union could be seeking jobs in the UK. Critics said the campaign was xenophobic and even racist. Farage said the posters should highlight the fact that an influx of cheap foreign labour had driven down wages and increased youth unemployment. The Guardian; Reuters; New Europe; The Telegraph; The Independent