Spitzenkandidats: EU Parliament Elections Become Explosive

The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union, and the European Parliament plays a key role in deciding the president, the top post in Brussels. “But British officials are uneasy with the notion that the selection of the next head of the European Commission should be linked to the results of the European Parliament elections,” explain Christoph Pauly and Christoph Schult for Spiegel Online. “The UK is the leader of a group of EU countries with concerns about the politicization of the European Commission and even bigger, and growing, reservations about [Martin] Schulz and [Jean-Claude] Juncker, who are seen as too pro-integrationist not only by David Cameron but also by the Dutch and Swedish governments.” The appointment process eliminates heads of state, and many resist a partisan choice for the post. Instead, leaders prefer consensus, which means that spitzenkandidats, frontrunners with majority backing who also draw opposition, probably won’t be appointed. The process could produce EU unity or stagnation. – YaleGlobal