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EU elections 2019 : User’s guide

In May 2019 EU citizens will vote and decide the composition of the future European Parliament, which will be the first post-Brexit elections. In the coming months the principal political fawill appoint their front-runners, also know as “Spitzenkandidaten”.

The idea behind this is very simple : the European parties name their candidate in advance and, if they win the election, this person is appointed to the Presidency of the European Commission. This practice was used in the previous elections in 2014, when the EPP (European People’s Party) won the elections and Jean-Claude Juncker, the EPP’s “Spitzenkandidat”, became President of the European Commission.
The main political families have decided on their internal timetable to appoint their “Spitzenkandidat” :

  • EPP (European People’s Party”) : applications to be submitted between 6-17 September and candidate elected on 7 November at the EPP Congress in Helsinki;
  • PES (Party of European Socialists) : applications to be submitted by 18 October and elections to take place on 1 December; the official appointment will be confirmed on 7-8 December at the PES Congress in Lisbon;
  • ACRE (Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe) : did not appoint a Spitzenkandidat in 2014, but will appoint one this time by means of an informal procedure to be concluded around October;
  • ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) : applications to be submitted by 1 February 2019 and candidate to be appointed immediately after;
  • European Greens : will present a dual candidacy and the 2 candidates will be appointed during the Congress on 23-25 November in Berlin;
  • European Left : will not hold a specific Congress and will appoint its candidate at a general meeting on 30 September in Brussels;
  • The Eurosceptics and Europhobics are apparently not yet ready to appoint any candidate.

 

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InvestEU program : the TRAN Committee unveiled its draft opinion

The Committee for opinion tabled their draft opinion on the new financial instrument on 04.09.2018. The Committe strongly supports the need of investments in sustainable and digital infrastructure. Indeed, the draft opinion targets sharp budgetary allocations supporting transport infrastructure as a whole. It proposes to maximise synergies with the others EU relevant programs in the areas of transport, energy and digital. Moreover, a recall for a Single European Transport Area has been inserted.

 

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