The way the EU chooses who holds the presidency of the European Commission is deeply flawed, Europe’s competition czar Margrethe Vestager said Tuesday, warning the European Parliament against thinking it could decide on its own.
The so-called Spitzenkandidat process — which awards the Commission presidency to the party that wins the most seats in the European Parliament election — is not sufficiently democratic because voters cannot directly influence the outcome, the Danish liberal said at a POLITICO event.
“In most countries, 27 countries at least, you will not be able to vote for this person,” she said, adding that the idea European voters could elect the Commission president is “complete fiction.” They can say who they prefer, but “cannot decide,” she said.
The process is also problematic because it doesn’t allow for contenders to throw their hat in the ring closer to when the job becomes vacant in September 2019. Not all candidates can currently say whether they will run or not, she added, because they may be running for national office ahead of the European election in May 2019.
“There are at least nine elections before the European election next year,” Vestager said. “My guess would be that there would be one prime minister or two who would be looking for another job [if they lose a national vote] and the political parties today, they may not know who.”
Vestager also took aim at the Parliament, which she said should make suggestions but not have the final say over who holds the Commission presidency. The European Council, she added, should “be a co-decider.”
The Danish politician refrained from commenting on whether she would seek the Commission top job herself, but admitted she would like to stay in Brussels.