Today, Thursday, the plenary session of the European Parliament issued a severe warning to Ursula von der Leyen, candidate to repeat as president of the European Commission in the next legislature, by demanding the annulment of the appointment of the German Markus Pieper, a co-religionist of the German conservative in the within the CDU, as “EU envoy for small and medium-sized businesses”, a high position that will be remunerated with almost 20,000 euros per month.
The request from the European Parliament, from which Von der Leyen is accused of political favoritism, is not binding but represents a full-fledged red card for the German. If she is proposed by the heads of state and government of the Twenty-seven in June for a second term, Von der Leyen will need to obtain the endorsement of the MEPs to be confirmed in the position. And the European Parliament, in one of its last votes of the legislature, has made it clear to her today that she is not going to make it easy for her.
The European Parliament demands "the rescinding of the appointment and the implementation of a truly transparent and open process", states the amendment proposed by Daniel Freund (Greens), which has been supported this afternoon by a large majority of social democratic, liberal and conservative MEPs. , environmentalists, the Left and the extreme right. The petition has been approved by 382 votes in favor, 144 against and 80 abstentions. Pieper, who is currently an MEP and is within the critical wing of the EPP with Von der Leyen, should assume his new duties this Tuesday. The Commission has given no signs that he will reconsider his decision, on the contrary. His spokesperson reiterated today that the president considers Pieper to be the best candidate and has confirmed that he will take over his duties on April 16.
The Commission maintains that it has "full institutional autonomy" in its appointments but not only the European Parliament, which "questions" that the appointment took into account "the principles of merit, gender and geographical balance", has called its president to account. For the NGO Transparency International, Pieper's appointment "suggests that high Commission positions are promised to those who can politically benefit the president, rather than to those who have best demonstrated their suitability for the position." The issue was debated yesterday at the College of Commissioners following the reservations expressed in a recent letter signed by Vice President Josep Borrell, and Commissioners Thierry Breton (Internal Market), Nicolas Schmit (Labor) and Paolo Gentiloni (Economy), in which they argue that Pieper's appointment raises "questions about the transparency and impartiality of the selection process."
As revealed at the end of February by the newsletter specializing in EU affairs, La Matinale Européenne, Pieper was not the candidate who obtained the best qualifications for the position. He finished third, behind two women and one of them, Martina Dlabajova, a Czech liberal MEP, has filed an appeal against her outcome with the Commission's human resources services. The decision on the appointment was adopted by the college of commissioners at the end of February. The teams of Von der Leyen and Breton, holder of the portfolio corresponding to the scope of work of the new high European official, had interviewed the three finalists and the president decided that she would bet on the German candidate. Breton warned him that he did not agree and that he would express his reservations when the college of commissioners analyzed the issue, but the issue was settled in a meeting in which it was known that he would not be present, as he had to represent the Commission on the council. of defense ministers.
In the internal debate instigated by the four commissioners critical of Von der Leyen's decision, which took place yesterday, the dozen commissioners belonging to the EPP took the floor first, all with similar arguments about the organizational autonomy of the Commission and the need to avoid the politicization of their decisions, as explained by several community sources. Finally, Breton and Borrell intervened, arguing that Pieper's appointment violated the principle of collegiality and reply that precisely what they oppose is the political use of the institution.
The controversy rests on the internal accusations of centralism that have dominated Von der Leyen's mandate, which until now had not taken their toll. She started as a favorite to preside over the next European Commission but, in the opinion of different European sources, today's vote seriously weakens her candidacy since there was already a risk that the EPP's approach to the extreme right would deprive it of the support it needs in the wing. progressive chamber. "The Von der Leyen Commission's defiant attitude in the face of democratic scrutiny is surprising. She, or at least her party, the EPP, should remember that they are going to need the vote of the new European Parliament," not just the European Council, says the Professor of Community Law Alberto Alemanno.
