Tusk
and Juncker sitting pretty, with or without Martin Schulz
The
German Social Democrat’s departure is unlikely to expose
Jean-Claude Juncker or Donald Tusk.
By FLORIAN
EDER 11/24/16, 8:08 PM CET Updated 11/24/16, 8:12 PM CET
Martin Schulz’s
announcement that he’ll quit his post as European Parliament
president to return to German politics came as a surprise to his own
center-left political group and caused a political tremor in Brussels
— but the aftershocks will be limited, and local.
The departure of the
only Social Democrat currently presiding over one of the three main
EU institutions could be expected to unleash excited discussions
about the future of the other two presidents, Commission chief
Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk at the Council, who are both from
the center-right. Sure enough, Gianni Pittella, leader of Schulz’s
Socialists & Democrats in the Parliament, called for the balance
of power to be respected.
“You can be sure
that we will not accept a right-wing monopoly over European Union,”
Pittella told POLITICO by text message.
His compatriot
Sandro Gozi, junior minister for EU affairs under center-left Italian
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, was quoted by Ansa news agency as saying
Schulz’s departure should raise questions about Tusk’s future at
the Council. “It’s not possible for the Commission, Council and
the European Parliament presidency all to be held by the
(center-right) European People’s Party (EPP),” said Gozi.
Tusk and Juncker
both appeared pretty sanguine, however, about Schulz’s decision to
leave in January. They said they were sad to see him go, but by early
afternoon on Thursday, Juncker was joking about whose job might be on
the line, while Tusk boasted about his time in this year’s Brussels
half marathon (under two hours, apparently).
“I’m absolutely
sure Martin Schulz will be as effective in German politics as he was
here in Brussels,” said Tusk.
Of the two,
59-year-old former Polish prime minister Tusk appears more
vulnerable, as his current two-and-a-half year term expires mid-way
through next year. But any attempt to oust Tusk would mean an
implicit alliance with his foes in Poland’s ruling, right-wing Law
and Justice (PiS), which has repeatedly insinuated that it could drop
its support for a second term for Tusk.
In fact, PiS leader
Jarosław Kaczyński’s interest in dislodging Tusk from his EU post
could strengthen Tusk’s support base in Brussels and eventually
even in leftist-leaning EU national capitals, such as Rome.
Juncker can afford
to be more relaxed. The only one of the three presidents with a
five-year term, Juncker is barely at the half-way stage. Asked by
reporters if Schulz’s departure meant he or Tusk was going to
resign, Juncker pointed at Tusk and joked: “He is.”
Earlier this week,
in response to a report in German magazine Der Spiegel that Juncker
was ready to throw in the towel if his buddy Schulz left town,
Commission spokesperson Alexander Winterstein commented: “The
president will not quit.” On Thursday, Winterstein remarked that,
like anyone with a long political career behind them, Juncker was
“used to” occasionally losing allies.
Which leaves the
Parliament as the major Brussels institution most likely to feel the
impact of Schulz’s departure. Although the news caught MEPs off
guard, and came only a few days after a fight between Pittella and
EPP group chairman Manfred Weber, it doesn’t appear likely to tip
the balance decisively in favor of the EPP taking over the
presidency.
Although this was
originally part of a power-sharing agreement between the main
political blocs, it didn’t prevent Schulz from campaigning for a
renewed term and won’t stop others from the S&D group either,
according to Socialist MEPs.
Quentin Ariès and
Ryan Heath contributed reporting.
Authors:
Florian Eder
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