Campagne voor nieuwe voorzitter Europese Commissie van start (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The biggest political party in the European Parliament is going to lobby for parts of the European Constitution - not foreseen to come into force until at least 2006 - to be put into place next year, the EUobserver has learnt.

The European Peoples' Party (EPP) will "propose that the letter and the spirit of the new Treaty" be applied for the election of a new Commission President next year.

"This will allow for a more interesting campaign and hopefully create more interest and participation in the elections", says a letter by head of the EPP Hans Gert Pöttering to New Europe - an organisation campaigning for more democracy in the EU.

Jakob Erle, chairman of New Europe, wrote last month to all political parties in the European Parliament urging them to put forward a candidate for Commission President.

This person should present a "comprehensive and coherent programme ... In this way we - the electorate - can decide which political party and thereby which candidate to vote for on [European Parliament] Election Day 13 June 2004", says the New Europe open letter.

In reply, Mr Pöttering wrote that the initiative corresponds to the objectives of the EPP. "It cannot be that the President of the Commission does not belong to the political family which has won the European elections".

New treaty

The current head of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, is a socialist and was chosen by EU leaders in 1999. He, along with the rest of his Commissioners, will finish their term in November 2004.

Under current treaty provisions, EU heads of state and government nominate the Commission president who is then "approved" by the European Parliament.

Under the new Constitution, which, in fact, is not set to come into effect until at least 2006, the Parliament shall elect the President of the European Commission (Art I-19).

Article 26 states that "taking into account the elections of the European Parliament ... the European Council ... shall put to the European Parliament its proposed candidate for the Presidency of the European Commission. This candidate shall be elected by the European Parliament by a majority of its members".

Internal politics

If New Europe's initiative should gain momentum, it will provide for some interesting internal politics in the European Parliament.

Several names are already being bandied about in the corridors of the institution - one of which is former Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene for the EPP.

However, all Parties will have in mind that they would have to nominate their candidate as soon as possible to get the best political advantage.