nEUwsletter 11/11/2019

Juncker Commission's overview over the last five years

By Charles Elie-Martin

European Union Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker | Thierry Charlier/AFP via Getty Images

On the 1st December, the Ursula Von der Leyen Commission will take office, leaving only two weeks for Jean-Claude Juncker and his commissioners at the head of the European Commission. This is then the opportunity to draw an overview of Juncker's presidency: his policy, actions, public image, whether these were acclaimed or decried.

A mandate tinted with failures and scandals

One of the major events that occurred during Juncker's presidency is undoubtedly Brexit. The manner of dealing which Juncker adopted during the Brexit campaign is evocative regarding the criticisms made against the Commission's President. The response proposed by the latter -the silence- was straightforward but full of consequences. Following the advice of the former British Prime Minister David Cameron, Juncker chose to resign himself at providing a public position statement. For a President encouraging a strong cohesion between member States on most of the European concerns, this silence was misunderstood and badly received by the supporters of an integrated European Union. This was, by Juncker's own admission, an unwise choice.

The second instance of failure may be found in the outcome of the Greek issue in 2015. Indeed, after some dialogue and negotiation times between the EU institutions and the Greek government, the former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras decided to consult his people through a referendum. Its object was the approval by the Greek people of the plan proposed by the EU institutions in order to support the country's intricate situation. The Greek people voted ''no''. Juncker's response was very controversial, as he asserted that ''there can be no democratic choice against the EU treaties'' (Interview with Jean-Claude Juncker, Le Figaro, 28th January 2015), later referred to as the Juncker's theorem.

An interesting parallel may be drawn between those two instances. In both cases, Juncker responded to a major issue related to the European cohesion, that eventually led to a referendum. On the one hand, he preached, by his silence, the non-intervention in the Brexit referendum whereas on the other hand, he actively responded by giving controversial statements on the expression of democracy within the EU.

These are only two examples of mitigating work from Juncker. His public image was also tarnished during the Luxembourg Leaks, a financial scandal involving Jean-Claude Juncker's controversial role. The late response of the latter was once more noticed and criticised. Last, but not least, allegations of Juncker's alcohol addiction were discussed by the European leaders, as well as by commentators.

The acknowledgement of some conclusive actions

Despite the negative aspects described above, the work of the Juncker Commission has also been welcomed by commentators.

First, the purpose of Jean-Claude Juncker was to erase the technocratic image of the Commission and to replace it by a more political one. This was made through the elaboration of public priorities as well as by the promotion of active debates. To that end, the Five President's Report was issued in 2015 and a White Paper was published in 2017.

In that sense, many positive actions on various subjects must be highlighted. As an example, a long-term strategy aiming to carbon neutrality by 2050 was drafted. Moreover, the European Commission Investment Plan for Europe also referred to as the Juncker plan, initiated a new operating model to be coupled with the Stability and Growth Pact. Although no concrete results directly linked to the Juncker Plan are available at the moment, the EU's economic indicators are encouraging. Indeed, between 2014 and 2018, the public debt and the deficit both decreased whilst the GDP increased by 0.8 point. Furthermore, 1.5 million jobs were created. These are encouraging global results for which the Juncker Commission had a role to play.

This quick overview of the Juncker Commission's work over the last five years enables to extricate more negative than positive aspects. However, the European Commission's action under the presidency of Jean-Claude Juncker should be regarded with more hindsight, as some policies are to be considered in the long term.

New EU Commission still delayed?

By Laura Samy

REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

The European Commission is the EU's politically independent executive arm. Its main role is to elaborate proposals for new European legislation and to implement the decisions of the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. It is composed of 28 members (each member state appoints one commissioner) who represent the interests of the EU as a whole.

After the European Parliament’s election in May 2019, MEPs elected Ursula von der Leyen to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the EU Commission. The nomination of other members took longer than expected. Indeed, treaties impose an elaborate procedure in which a European Parliament vote is required to choose the commissioners. The candidates from France, Hungary and Romania were rejected by MEPs due in part to possible conflicts of interest. The decision of the EU Parliament has been delaying for one month the took office of the incoming Commission, which was planned to start work on the 1st November.

Another issue may cause further delay. Indeed, the UK government indicated Wednesday that it wouldn’t appoint a commissioner. The reason given for this decision is the pre-election rules. It involves not to make major international appointments during a general election campaign. Before the extension to the Brexit deadline, it was planned that there would be no need for a new commissioner because the UK would leave the EU before December.

In reaction to the decision of the UK government, the EU Commission started an infringement process. Brussels argues that the EU treaties (which have a higher status than domestic law) impose to appoint a commissioner for all member states. This process may end up (which is quite rare) before the European Court of Justice, which can give sanctions like financial penalties.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-50426569

https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/new-eu-commission-delayed-for-at-least-a-month/

https://www.independent.co.uk/?CMP=ILC-refresh

Student unrest in France

By Thomas Lezeau

afp.com/PHILIPPE DESMAZES

Last week on Friday the 8th, a French student attempted to commit suicide by lighting himself on fire in front of a university building in Lyon, France. Before committing this desperate act, he had published on Facebook a lengthy explanation where he accused the liberal politics put in place in the past years of being the cause of his death and more generally of being the reason behind growing inequalities in the French higher education system.

With the victim currently between life and death in hospital, huge student protests have emerged in over 40 French towns. On Tuesday the 12th, several incidents were reported across France. In Paris, a group of students forced entry into the ministry of higher education, asking for Frédérique Vidal’s - the French minister for higher education- resignation, before being evacuated by law enforcement. In Lille François Hollande, Emmanuel Macron’s predecessor was compelled to give up the conference he was scheduled to give in Lille’s University of law after three to four hundred students prevented anyone from entering the university building where it was scheduled to take place.

On Wednesday the 13th, the university where the 22-year-old victim studied was blocked and students were not able to attend their lectures after protestors regrouped in front of it for the whole day. Reports from the head of the university disclose that several acts of vandalism were committed against some of the infrastructures on that day.

Statistics show that poverty is an issue that students are having to deal with increasingly. The INSEE, the national institute for statistics in France reports that one student in five lives beneath the poverty threshold. It was also noted that in 2019, the cost of living for a student has risen by 2,83% compared to last year, mostly due to rising housing costs and university fees. Although a scholarship system exists in France, the less wealthy students getting reduced university fees as well as monthly revenue to be able to live, statistics show that half of all students are still forced to work in parallel to their studies in order to pay for their everyday costs.

Already facing serious social unrest, Emmanuel Macron and his government are planning on showing a companionate side regarding students, especially with the spectre of a united front between the everlasting “Gilet Jaunes” social movement, the students and the currently on strike medical personnel from hospitals looming over them…

The Romanian presidential election, the end of reign of the social democrat party?

By Emmanuel Jeanny

A woman exits a polling booth after voting in the first round of a presidential election in Bucharest on November 10, 2019. Inquam Photos/Octav Ganea via REUTERS

Last Sunday, Romanians voted for the first round of their presidential election. The president Klaus Iohannis from the National Liberal Party (NLP) won the ballot with more than 37% of the tracks. Behind him, the former Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă from the social democrat party (SDP) collected around 22% of the tracks.

According to the Romanian constitution, at its 81st article, in the case that a candidate does not obtain the majority at the first round “a second ballot shall be held between the first two candidates highest in the order of the number of votes cast for them in the first ballot”. This means that the other candidates: Dan Barna from the Save Romania Union who collected 15%, Mircea Diaconu supported by PRO Romania and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats who had almost 9% and Theodor Paleologu from the People's Movement Party who received 5% are eliminated of the race for the presidency.

This first round showed that Romania should stay a pro-European country, contrary to his neighbours like Hungary, attempted by populism and nationalism. Iohannis is a pro-European politician, always supporting Paris and Berlin in their European position, and agreeing on Brussels policies. He made the European Union a priority, it is under his legislature that Romania took the presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time.

The political landscape of Romania these years has changed a lot with the evolution of the country. The social democrat party, the direct heir of the communist party has run the country since the revolution, although Iohannis was not the first center-right president. Five years ago, a step has been passed when, to everyone’s surprise, he won the presidential election on the second round while he was far behind his concurrent of the social democrat party at the first round.

Unfortunately, this change has not been concretised after the legislative election where the SDP won the majority of the sits, which led to a hard cohabitation marked by the dismissal of 2 Prime Ministers including one convicted for corruption, and a lot of resignation and conviction of ministers for the same reason. Iohannis has made the struggle against corruption a priority of his mandate while the social democrat government tried to put laws in order to decrease sentences for those convicted of corruption. The Romanian people responded to these policies by a series of huge demonstrations in Bucharest and last Sunday by inflicting the biggest defeat to the SDP since the revolution of 1990.

The second round of the presidential election set on November the 24th should bring to the victory Iohannis. But we will have to wait for the legislative elections next year to see if the Romanians want to move on from the social democrat party and become more European.