Juncker sets deadline for Belgian nomination

Commission seeks to force the hand of negotiators on Belgium’s government.

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Jean-Claude Juncker, president-elect of the European Commission, has increased pressure on Belgian negotiators trying to form a national government by insisting that he must have a nomination for the college of commissioners by today (4 September).

Belgium is the only country yet to nominate its next European commissioner and the nomination is linked to the sharing out of ministerial positions in the federal government still being formed. Belgium held national elections on 28 May, the same day as the elections to the European Parliament.

Juncker on Tuesday began a round of interviews with the nominees for commissioners and he has told Belgium that he wants to interview the Belgian nominee on Thursday.
Kris Peeters, of the centre-right Flemish Christian Democrats, and Charles Michel, of the francophone liberal party Mouvement Réformateur (MR), are leading the talks on the formation of a government. They are due to report today to the country’s head of state, King Philippe, to brief him about the negotiations on a coalition agreement between three Flemish parties – CD&V, Open VLD (liberals), and N-VA (right-wing) – and, on the other side of the linguistic border, MR.

Until Belgium makes its nomination, Juncker cannot seek the approval of the Council of Ministers for the 28-strong membership of the college, a necessary first step before proposing how the dossiers should be shared out between the various commissioners-designate. At the weekend, Juncker’s spokesperson said: “Belgium is paralysing
Europe.”

The tussle between the Belgian parties over which of them should provide the commissioner is putting in doubt Juncker’s hopes of attaining the mark of nine women in his college of 28 – the same number as in the 2009-14 administration. So far, seven countries have named women: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy,  Poland, Slovenia, and Sweden. There are also suggestions that Romania might replace its initial nominee, Dacian Ciolos, with a woman.

But that would still leave Juncker short of the goal, unless Belgium nominates a woman, which in turn may depend on which party gets to make the choice. CD&V wants to put forward Marianne Thyssen, who is an MEP, but its right to name the commissioner is disputed by MR, which would nominate Didier Reynders, the foreign minister in the previous government. Belgian media reports yesterday suggested that the CD&V had offered the post of prime minister to Michel in order to secure the Commission post for Thyssen, although it is thought that Michel would decline the offer as he would prefer to see Reynders leaving national politics.

At the time of going to press, no official decision had been made, though it is expected Reynders will be appointed today.

Louis Michel of the MR, a former European commissioner, said on 2 September it would be “unthinkable” for the CD&V to take both the posts of prime minister and European commissioner. Peeters is considered the most likely prime minister.

The coalition talks have been under way since 22 July. The parties are currently discussing budget proposals, which are considered the most problematic aspect of the negotiations since the next government will have to impose significant spending cuts.