Widespread derision Monday greeted German Chancellor Angela Merkel's choice of a little-known local politician with a controversial past as the country's representative on the European Commission. The reported reaction of Jose Manuel Barroso, the commission's president, summed up the disbelief in Berlin and Brussels at the appointment of Guenther Oettinger. Barroso rang up German colleagues to ask: "What is that all about?" Apparently, the appointment also came as somewhat of a surprise to Oettinger himself, the 56-year-old head of the Baden-Wuerttemberg regional government in southwest Germany, but he nevertheless leapt at the unexpected chance. "It was impossible to turn down such an offer ... I had to jump now or never," Oettinger said in an interview with the Hamburger Abendblatt daily.
The reported reaction of Jose Manuel Barroso, the commission's president, summed up the disbelief in Berlin and Brussels at the appointment of Guenther Oettinger. Barroso rang up German colleagues to ask: "What is that all about?"
Apparently, the appointment also came as somewhat of a surprise to Oettinger himself, the 56-year-old head of the Baden-Wuerttemberg regional government in southwest Germany, but he nevertheless leapt at the unexpected chance.
"It was impossible to turn down such an offer ... I had to jump now or never," Oettinger said in an interview with the Hamburger Abendblatt daily.
An unnamed politician from the opposition centre-left Social Democrats gleefully mocked Merkel's decision. "Germany is sending a player from the local leagues to the European Champions League," this politician told the Tagesspiegel daily.The mockery is not limited to Berlin. Jean-Dominique Giuliani from the Schuman Foundation, a European think tank, told AFP: "The nomination has caused a bit of consternation in Brussels." He said the appointment was more to do with internal politics in Merkel's CDU party than a disdain of Brussels, although he acknowledged: "One could also interpret it like that." A senior German European parliamentarian, Martin Schulz, expressed doubts that Oettinger would survive his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament. "His hearing will be a difficult thing for him," he said.
"Germany is sending a player from the local leagues to the European Champions League," this politician told the Tagesspiegel daily.
The mockery is not limited to Berlin. Jean-Dominique Giuliani from the Schuman Foundation, a European think tank, told AFP: "The nomination has caused a bit of consternation in Brussels."
He said the appointment was more to do with internal politics in Merkel's CDU party than a disdain of Brussels, although he acknowledged: "One could also interpret it like that."
A senior German European parliamentarian, Martin Schulz, expressed doubts that Oettinger would survive his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament.
"His hearing will be a difficult thing for him," he said.
