Christendemocraten in EP spreken veto uit over socialistische voorzitter Commissie (en)

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - The leader of the biggest political group in the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, has warned that if his group wins next June's European Parliament elections, a centre-left Commission President will not be accepted.

Mr Pöttering told journalists this morning that the European People's Party will not accept a Commission President who does not belong to the political family that wins the European Parliament elections in June.

The German Christian Democrat is confident that the EPP-ED will retain its place as the biggest group meaning that already-floated names for Commission President such as Greek Socialist Prime Minister Costas Simitis would be rejected.

Hans-Gert Pöttering's call is also enshrined in the draft EU Constitutional Treaty, which says that when the EU heads of state and government propose the candidate for Commission President, the elections of the European Parliament have to be taken into account.

Over representation of Social Democrats in Commission

He also said it is "scandalous" that in the present Commission there is an over representation of Social Democrats even though the Christian Democrats have a majority in the European Parliament.

The European Parliament voted centre-left politician Romano Prodi into office as EU Commission president in September 1999, and he was strongly backed by UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.

At that time, Mr Pöttering was a newly elected chairman of the EPP group and Mr Prodi's European credentials were not doubted.

"Our advice to the heads of state and government is to consider that the President of the Commission has to have the confidence of the European Parliament", he said.

November end of current Commission's mandate

The successor to Romano Prodi - who ends his mandate in November - will be agreed on by EU leaders.

Besides Mr Simitis, other names being mentioned for the top post in the EU executive are Belgium's Guy Verhofstadt, Luxembourg's Jean-Claude Juncker, former Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and former Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene.

However, the whole Commission will have to be approved by the European Parliament after its June elections.

From 1 May, when the EU expands to 25 member states, the Commission will expand from the present 20 members to 30 Commissioners.

When its mandate runs out in November, the five large member states (Germany, France, the UK, Spain and Italy) will have the number of their Commissioners reduced from two to one - leaving the Brussels executive with 25 members.

With only one Commissioner representing them, member state governments are unlikely to put forward a candidate that does not side with their political party.

Future size of EPP

Hans-Gert Pöttering is confident that the EPP-ED group will remain the largest group in the European Parliament.

However, the position that the group currently enjoys could be threatened if the British Conservatives, currently associate members of the group, decide to detach themselves from the EPP.

Of the the 232 EPP-ED members, 37 are British Conservatives.

Mr Pöttering said he's "almost 100%" certain that they will continue to be part of the EPP group.

He also said that the vast majority of the 37 British Conservative members would like to return to the EPP group.

But it appears that the question is still open.

"This issue has not been finalised yet", MEP Jonathan Evans, leader of the Conservatives in the European Parliament told the EUobserver.