What next for Martin Schulz?
Thursday 17 September 2009By EU Reporter Correspondents
Following the reappointment of Jose Manuel Barroso as European Commission President this week, speculation continues as to who will be appointed to the new college, with particular attention being placed on the much favoured Vice President role with joint responsibility for foreign affairs within the Council.
This prestigious High Commissioner position, whereby the person with responsibility for external relations will automatically be a Commission Vice President and have a seat on the European Council is to be established upon ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.
Speaking at a press conference before the European Parliament voted to re-nominate Barroso, Martin Schulz, leader of the Socialist and Democrat group, insisted that is was “logical” that if a centre-right politician was to be made Commission President, then the High Commissioner should come from the socialist family, leading to much speculation that Schultz himself had designs on the job.
There is some strong circumstantial evidence to support this theory. Schulz led his group to an official policy of abstention on the Barroso vote, thereby not going directly against the incumbent. He did not field an alternative candidate to the centre-right choice, and he remains the official German socialist candidate.
Despite this, sources within the socialists have flatly denied that Schulz, who is due to be appointed Parliament President in 2011, is coveting the position, which remains a government appointment; and Schultz has made enough trouble for Barroso recently to make it somewhat difficult for German Chancellor Angela Merkel to appoint him as Barroso’s deputy.
A more likely candidate right now is Merkel’s own Vice-Chancellor, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, leader of junior coalition partners, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who is running against Merkel in the elections later this month.
Assuming a victory for Merkel, as polls currently suggest, then a Brussels job for Steinmeier, a more acceptable candidate for the right than Schultz, is being touted by Socialist sources.
Schultz is no doubt correct when he suggests that the highest-ranking deputy in the Commission should go to a centre-left candidate, and it has been a long-standing rumour in Brussels that Germany wants the High Commissioner position (Joschka Fischer’s name had previously been bandied about), making Steinmeier the obvious choice.
The presidency of the European Parliament might pale beside this all together more powerful and prestigious role; but it does seem as if Martin Schulz will have to settle for just that.
But, as one Parliament source noted, a lot can happen in the next few weeks; 'don’t rule anything out' being the message. Optimism? Time will tell.