Berlin and Paris outline plan for EU makeover
Source: Politico
Germany and France have drawn up a blueprint for a two-year "Conference on the Future of Europe" aimed at overhauling nearly all aspects of how the EU functions, including possible treaty changes if need be, with a goal of making the bloc "more united and sovereign," according to a document seen by POLITICO.
The blueprint proposes that EU leaders hold a first discussion on the conference at their summit in Brussels next month. It calls for a two-phase initiative, with the first starting early next year and focused on "EU democratic functioning," especially "regarding elections and designations in key positions."
That's unencrypted code for fixing an election and leadership selection process widely perceived as badly broken after EU leaders this year cast aside the Spitzenkandidaten or "lead candidates" from the major political families and instead made the surprise choice of naming Ursula von der Leyen as Commission president — the top executive post.
Supporters of the lead candidate process, particularly in the European Parliament, were infuriated that the top job went to someone who had not campaigned for it — even though the heads of state and government on the European Council had issued clear warnings they would not be bound to the system, which is not written into the EU treaties.
Read more: https://www.politico.eu/article/berlin-and-paris-outline-plan-for-eu-makeover/
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