European Tribune - Community, Politics & Progress.

Stop Barroso! It's still possible

by Jerome a Paris
Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 04:21:39 AM EST

Daniel Cohn-Bendit, thanks to the strong showing of the greens in the recent elections, and to an explicit and consistent campaign on the topic, has single handedly managed to create doubt as to whether Barroso would get a second mandate as president of the European Commission, and the Serious People are getting worried.

I think we should support Cohn-Bendit's campaign. How could we do that?

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Stop Barroso! It's still possible | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 0)

We'd have to find some kind of scandal and get it into the press.

Otherwise, pressure MEPs. The inaugural session is on July 14th.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 06:23:23 AM EST

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

Maybe create a model protest letter and have it translated into as many EU languages as possible, and get everyone to send them to their MEPs?

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

by NordicStorm (michael<-at->sturmbaum.net) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 09:48:44 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (4.00 / 2)

Is Cohn-Bendit's procedural play a sure thing? Is there any way he could be overruled on a competing point of procedure?

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 08:25:53 AM EST

There's competing procedures (none / 1)

between the existing framework (Nice) and the one to be implemented under the Lisbon Treaty, if and when ratified.

Under current rules, I understand Barroso requires a simple majority, whereas under Lisbon he will require an absolute majority to be confirmed.

I'm not sure what procedure would apply now to prevent him from being presented - maybe something to do with the date to do so.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 09:49:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There's competing procedures (4.00 / 2)

The procedural issue is that the European Parliament made a decision in May to approve the new Commission President under the Lisbon Treaty and many MEPs will feel slighted if Barroso now gets nominated under the old Nice procedure. That's what Cohn-Bendit is betting on.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 01:57:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There's competing procedures (none / 0)

thanks! That makes sense.

Do we have any idea how many parliamentarians stayed over from the previous legislature? Surely those that were around at the time of that vote will care more? Or is it enough that the group leaders spread the info?

How's the voting discipline within groups?

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 02:56:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There's competing procedures (none / 1)

It should be possible to figure out how many MEPs stayed on, but that will be a bit of work.

As for voting discipline, the extremely useful website votewatch.eu - funded by the Open Society Institute (Soros) - has the information neatly compiled. On constitutional and inter-institutional affairs (which I guess the Commission Presidency should belong to) the PES, ALDE and Greens-EFA have a fairly high consistency.

It should be necessary to at least put individual pressure on the Spanish, Portuguese and British PES MEPs, as their party leaders supported Barroso.

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 04:43:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: There's competing procedures (4.00 / 2)

My digging earlier this evening came up with no readymade data on the number of sitting MEPs re-elected. But I may have missed something...

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 05:00:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

A couple of quotes from an informative piece on Euractiv:

EurActiv.com - The new European Commission | EU - European Information on EU Priorities & Opinion

Since announcing in July 2008 his desire to serve a second term as Commission president, José Manuel Barroso's reappointment has seemed increasingly inevitable, despite his star dimming somewhat with the escalation of the global financial crisis. The failure of the European left to unite around a single alternative candidate before the European elections in June 2009 was arguably Barroso's greatest boon.
When the centre-right won the elections (EurActiv 07/06/09), many commentators viewed the result as the last piece in the puzzle for Barroso's reappointment.
However, Liberals, Greens and Socialists in the European Parliament, divided over whether to support Barroso or not, could potentially join forces to prevent the Portuguese from being re-appointed, instead proposing Belgium's former Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt (EurActiv 10/06/09). A new Commission president must have the suport of the European Parliament in order to be formally appointed.
As a result, European leaders, spearheaded by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are expected at their Brussels summit on 18-19 June to give their support to Barroso without formally nominating him. This will allow EU leaders to reach an agreement with the newly-elected Parliament, where coalitions are currently being formed.

and

EurActiv.com - The new European Commission | EU - European Information on EU Priorities & Opinion

2009 differs from 'business as usual' in one crucial respect: because of the ongoing uncertainty over the Lisbon Treaty and whether it will be ratified in all member states, there is, quite simply, institutional chaos.
The European elections were held under the Nice Treaty, which as well as reducing the overall number of MEPs, stipulates that the college of commissioners must be reduced by at least one (i.e. up to a maximum membership of 26). While European leaders have agreed that the new Commission president will be named immediately after the elections, there is as yet no consensus on how and when the new college will take office.
This leaves open the possibility that the term of the current 27 will be extended until Ireland, as is generally expected, holds a second Lisbon referendum in October 2009. The Swedish EU Presidency has already announced it will hold its autumn European Council summit on 5-6 November - considerably later than normal - in order to allow for the Irish permutations.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 03:57:39 PM EST

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

Saw Guy Verhofstadt on Frenh TV news last night - he said there was no chance he'd be candidate, it's Council that chooses the candidate. He wouldn't be drawn on whether a majority could be found in Parliament to reject Barroso's candidature, or whether that was a good idea. He insisted the most important point was to get a coherent EU-wide economic policy instead of the current every-state-for-itself.

This morning, as kukute says below, the news is that Barroso's candidature received unanimous support in Council.

WRAPUP 8-EU leaders agree on tighter financial supervision | Markets | Bonds News | Reuters

UNANIMOOUS BACKING FOR BARROSO
Barroso, a former Portuguese prime minister, set out his plans to the EU leaders over dinner.
"We want to have a strong president, a strong partner who communicates well," Fischer said. "I am very glad that Jose Manuel Barroso received unanimous support."
Barroso, 53, still needs the European Parliament's approval next month and a more formal endorsement by the EU leaders. But his centre-right allies are the biggest force in the assembly and he is expected to win enough votes to be reappointed.
A record-low turnout in an election to the parliament this month showed widespread discontent with the EU's handling of the economic crisis under Barroso, but he represents continuity in fighting problems such as soaring unemployment.
Barroso has said he wants to lead Europe out of crisis, rebuild the EU's financial and supervisory system, protect jobs, combat climate change and help secure Irish voters' approval of the Lisbon treaty streamlining EU decision making.
"Our citizens want to see action," he told reporters.

I expect DCB (whom I also watched on TV last night, but didn't catch anything about the Stop Barroso! campaign) to continue with plans for opposition, because it's a clearcut big-name issue that can focus people's minds on the EU and the EP, and can help to draw possible coalition lines within Parliament with Lisbon in view to reinforce Parliament's powers. So I think there's little hope of stopping Barroso, but it's good politics all the same.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 01:32:27 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

Fischer = Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer, whose country holds the EU's collective presidency

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 01:50:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

Next move in Parliament (though I don't know when exactly) will be a meeting of the Conference of Presidents. This is made up of the President of Parliament (Hans-Gert Pöttering) and the presidents of the parliamentary groups.

Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament - March 2009 - Rule 23 - Composition of the Conference of Presidents

Rule 23 : Composition of the Conference of Presidents
1.    The Conference of Presidents shall consist of the President of Parliament and the chairs of the political groups. The chair of a political group may arrange to be represented by a member of that group.
2.    The non-attached Members shall delegate one of their number to attend meetings of the Conference of Presidents, without having the right to vote.
3.    The Conference of Presidents shall endeavour to reach a consensus on matters referred to it.
Where a consensus cannot be reached, the matter shall be put to a vote subject to a weighting based on the number of Members in each political group. (my bold)

Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament - July 2004 - Rule 24 - Duties of the Conference of Presidents

Rule 24 : Duties of the Conference of Presidents
...
2. The Conference of Presidents shall take decisions on the organisation of Parliament's work and matters relating to legislative planning.
3. The Conference of Presidents shall be the authority responsible for matters relating to relations with the other institutions and bodies of the European Union...

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 05:51:24 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

Note: the new rules for the new EP Conference of Presidents are available in pdf here.

No change for the two rules above, but an interesting new rule:

5. The Conference of Presidents shall be responsible for organising structured consultation with European civil society on major topics. This may include the organisation of public debates, open to participation by interested citizens, on subjects of general European interest. The Bureau shall appoint a Vice-President responsible for the implementation of such consultations, who shall report back to the Conference of Presidents.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 06:11:53 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks (none / 1)

so both who the president of each group is, and how they choose to negotiate, is going to matter.

To wit: how Berlusconi's group is going to behave within the EPP, and what deal Cohn-Bendit can reach with the socialists and liberals.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 06:26:19 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 1)

The Conference of Presidents meeting is in three weeks, on 9 July.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 08:30:25 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Things are moving (4.00 / 3)

the headline on FT.com right now is:

Move to reappoint Barroso outrages Socialists
Socialist leaders in the European parliament on Friday denounced as an outrage the decision by European Union governments to nominate José Manuel Barroso for a second term as European Commission president.
(...)
But Martin Schulz, a German politician who leads the European parliament's socialist group, said the swiftly taken decision to re-nominate Mr Barroso was "a political, legal and institutional outrage".
"My group objects to the indecent haste with which the Council [of EU national leaders] is trying to push through Mr Barroso's appointment, and we will certainly vote against him," Mr Schulz said.

Good!

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Jun 19th, 2009 at 06:29:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Stop Barroso! It's still possible (none / 0)

It's nice to see an old trostkist as President, if we didn't new Moustaki and some others.

I'm reading in El País (the most serious newspaper in Spain), that he got all votes.

I read yesterday that Obama is making the greatest revolution in public accounting, in that same newspaper since 1930.

The sign of the times, maybe.

I'm just waiting to "the big crash", just to hung them up very high.

I'm dreaming.

Fuck them all!

by kukute on Thu Jun 18th, 2009 at 10:35:26 PM EST

Stop Barroso! It's still possible | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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