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| E.U. Nominates Two Women for Top Jobs as Bloc’s Unity Is Tested | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| BRUSSELS — After grueling and bitter negotiations, the European Union on Tuesday finally decided on the heads of its key institutions, making history by putting forward two women for the most important jobs at a moment when the bloc’s unity is being tested as never before. | BRUSSELS — After grueling and bitter negotiations, the European Union on Tuesday finally decided on the heads of its key institutions, making history by putting forward two women for the most important jobs at a moment when the bloc’s unity is being tested as never before. |
| After the sort of exhausting, grinding process for which the bloc is now infamous, European leaders nominated two conservatives, the German defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, as Commission president, and the French head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, as head of the European Central Bank. | After the sort of exhausting, grinding process for which the bloc is now infamous, European leaders nominated two conservatives, the German defense minister, Ursula von der Leyen, as Commission president, and the French head of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, as head of the European Central Bank. |
| They ascended weeks after a new Parliament was elected that saw the larger parties losing ground to smaller, more ideological ones, testing the limits of the bloc’s need for consensus among 28 members that are increasingly divided — West versus East, conservative versus progressive, federalist European versus populist. | They ascended weeks after a new Parliament was elected that saw the larger parties losing ground to smaller, more ideological ones, testing the limits of the bloc’s need for consensus among 28 members that are increasingly divided — West versus East, conservative versus progressive, federalist European versus populist. |
| Ultimately, the negotiations were about papering over those differences. If it was messy, the haggling also underscored how the European Union matters more as the bloc struggles to respond to the challenges of migration, climate change, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, inequality and the rise of populists. | Ultimately, the negotiations were about papering over those differences. If it was messy, the haggling also underscored how the European Union matters more as the bloc struggles to respond to the challenges of migration, climate change, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, inequality and the rise of populists. |
| Not least, there is a lot of chaos now in Europe and in the trans-Atlantic relationship, with President Trump threatening a trade war, serious divisions over how to deal with Iran and the continuing psychodrama of Brexit, which is a slowly ticking crisis with a possible no-deal explosion at its end. | Not least, there is a lot of chaos now in Europe and in the trans-Atlantic relationship, with President Trump threatening a trade war, serious divisions over how to deal with Iran and the continuing psychodrama of Brexit, which is a slowly ticking crisis with a possible no-deal explosion at its end. |
| Ms. von der Leyen, 60, the German defense minister, will now replace Jean-Claude Juncker as the bloc’s most prominent bureaucrat, attending G-20 summit meetings and advancing E.U. interests in negotiations with the United States, China and other major powers. | Ms. von der Leyen, 60, the German defense minister, will now replace Jean-Claude Juncker as the bloc’s most prominent bureaucrat, attending G-20 summit meetings and advancing E.U. interests in negotiations with the United States, China and other major powers. |
| The European Commission has a central role in creating and implementing policies and laws that regulate the lives of half a billion people. From what they eat to how they spend their money, the Commission’s influence over European life is enormous. | The European Commission has a central role in creating and implementing policies and laws that regulate the lives of half a billion people. From what they eat to how they spend their money, the Commission’s influence over European life is enormous. |
| Its new boss will preside over the institution at one of the most defining and challenging moments in the bloc’s history. | Its new boss will preside over the institution at one of the most defining and challenging moments in the bloc’s history. |
| As Brexit looms, Ms. von der Leyen will deal with the unfinished business surrounding Britain’s effort to quit the bloc. She may also interact with President Trump on a range of issues. | As Brexit looms, Ms. von der Leyen will deal with the unfinished business surrounding Britain’s effort to quit the bloc. She may also interact with President Trump on a range of issues. |
| Ms. Lagarde, 63, is a lawyer and former French government minister who has been running the I.M.F. since 2011. While not a trained economist, she is considered an excellent manager with extensive contacts around the world. | Ms. Lagarde, 63, is a lawyer and former French government minister who has been running the I.M.F. since 2011. While not a trained economist, she is considered an excellent manager with extensive contacts around the world. |
| In a package deal of political ideologies, gender and region, the leaders also decided to name Charles Michel, 43, the acting Belgian prime minister, a liberal, as president of the European Council of heads of state and government, replacing Donald Tusk, and proposed Josep Borrell Fontelles, 72, a former Spanish foreign minister, as the new foreign policy chief, to replace Federica Mogherini. | In a package deal of political ideologies, gender and region, the leaders also decided to name Charles Michel, 43, the acting Belgian prime minister, a liberal, as president of the European Council of heads of state and government, replacing Donald Tusk, and proposed Josep Borrell Fontelles, 72, a former Spanish foreign minister, as the new foreign policy chief, to replace Federica Mogherini. |
| The talks among the 28 member states failed to produce a consensus last month and nearly failed again Sunday night and Monday morning. They resumed again on Tuesday with previous favorites having been turned away in negotiations. | The talks among the 28 member states failed to produce a consensus last month and nearly failed again Sunday night and Monday morning. They resumed again on Tuesday with previous favorites having been turned away in negotiations. |
| Arriving at a consensus, always a challenge for the diverse members of the European Union, was particularly hard this time around. | Arriving at a consensus, always a challenge for the diverse members of the European Union, was particularly hard this time around. |
| Divisions in a more fragmented Europe proved harder to bridge. Traditionally, if the French and Germans agree on a policy, they usually get their way. | Divisions in a more fragmented Europe proved harder to bridge. Traditionally, if the French and Germans agree on a policy, they usually get their way. |
| But the elections for the European Parliament in May broke the usual hold of the conservatives and social democrats; now they need the liberals and the party of President Emmanuel Macron of France to form a majority. So parsing out the key jobs was bound to prove more complicated. | But the elections for the European Parliament in May broke the usual hold of the conservatives and social democrats; now they need the liberals and the party of President Emmanuel Macron of France to form a majority. So parsing out the key jobs was bound to prove more complicated. |
| The long debate also showed the decreasing influence of Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany over her own conservative party grouping, the European People’s Party. And it prompted bitter comments from Mr. Macron after the group suspended its talks on Monday after 20 hours. | The long debate also showed the decreasing influence of Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany over her own conservative party grouping, the European People’s Party. And it prompted bitter comments from Mr. Macron after the group suspended its talks on Monday after 20 hours. |
| Charging that some of his colleagues were more interested in their own futures and in national pride, Mr. Macron said: “Our credibility is profoundly stained with meetings that are too long that yield nothing. We give an image of a Europe that is not serious.” | Charging that some of his colleagues were more interested in their own futures and in national pride, Mr. Macron said: “Our credibility is profoundly stained with meetings that are too long that yield nothing. We give an image of a Europe that is not serious.” |
| Of course Mr. Macron, who portrays himself as an altruistic European, has important national interests at stake, too, including the vital question of who — or which French person — will replace Mario Draghi as head of the European Central Bank. | Of course Mr. Macron, who portrays himself as an altruistic European, has important national interests at stake, too, including the vital question of who — or which French person — will replace Mario Draghi as head of the European Central Bank. |
| While the conservatives lost ground in the elections, they remain the largest party, and most believed that one of their party, if not necessarily their leading candidate, Manfred Weber, would get the Commission presidency. | While the conservatives lost ground in the elections, they remain the largest party, and most believed that one of their party, if not necessarily their leading candidate, Manfred Weber, would get the Commission presidency. |
| Even among the conservatives, many believed that trouble started with nominating Mr. Weber, who was widely considered too inexperienced for the job, especially now that Europe is facing so many problems. | Even among the conservatives, many believed that trouble started with nominating Mr. Weber, who was widely considered too inexperienced for the job, especially now that Europe is facing so many problems. |
| But they proved very unhappy with Ms. Merkel’s willingness to deal with Mr. Macron and hand over the Commission presidency to at least a nominal socialist, Frans Timmermans of the Netherlands. | But they proved very unhappy with Ms. Merkel’s willingness to deal with Mr. Macron and hand over the Commission presidency to at least a nominal socialist, Frans Timmermans of the Netherlands. |
| Ms. Merkel faced an uprising, with fierce opposition from Poland and Hungary. Mr. Timmermans, as the deputy to Mr. Juncker, was the most outspoken European official criticizing those countries for violating the rule of the law, and so had earned their enmity. | Ms. Merkel faced an uprising, with fierce opposition from Poland and Hungary. Mr. Timmermans, as the deputy to Mr. Juncker, was the most outspoken European official criticizing those countries for violating the rule of the law, and so had earned their enmity. |
| But other conservative leaders also opposed Mr. Timmermans, including the heads of governments of Latvia, Croatia and Ireland, arguing that it was absurd to hand over the presidency and complaining that Ms. Merkel had not bothered to consult them. | But other conservative leaders also opposed Mr. Timmermans, including the heads of governments of Latvia, Croatia and Ireland, arguing that it was absurd to hand over the presidency and complaining that Ms. Merkel had not bothered to consult them. |
| Italy’s leader, deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, also made it clear that he would oppose Mr. Timmermans. | Italy’s leader, deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, also made it clear that he would oppose Mr. Timmermans. |
| Part of the difficulty stemmed from what is known as the ‘‘spitzenkandidat’’ process. The idea, rather like in any parliament, is to have the Commission president as the leading candidate of the largest party in Parliament. | Part of the difficulty stemmed from what is known as the ‘‘spitzenkandidat’’ process. The idea, rather like in any parliament, is to have the Commission president as the leading candidate of the largest party in Parliament. |
| First tried five years ago, the stronger conservative bloc — the European People’s Party, or EPP — succeeded in imposing Mr. Juncker as president, despite opposition from Britain. | First tried five years ago, the stronger conservative bloc — the European People’s Party, or EPP — succeeded in imposing Mr. Juncker as president, despite opposition from Britain. |
| This time, with Parliament more fragmented and Mr. Weber widely considered unqualified for the job, the European People’s Party was faced with a choice: insist on holding on to the Commission presidency or preserve the leading-candidate system by backing someone from another party, like Mr. Timmermans or the liberal Dane, Margrethe Vestager. | This time, with Parliament more fragmented and Mr. Weber widely considered unqualified for the job, the European People’s Party was faced with a choice: insist on holding on to the Commission presidency or preserve the leading-candidate system by backing someone from another party, like Mr. Timmermans or the liberal Dane, Margrethe Vestager. |
| Ms. Merkel’s proposal, worked out with France, Spain and the Netherlands, was to maintain the system with Mr. Timmermans, but demote Mr. Weber to head of the Parliament. | Ms. Merkel’s proposal, worked out with France, Spain and the Netherlands, was to maintain the system with Mr. Timmermans, but demote Mr. Weber to head of the Parliament. |
| That was simply unacceptable to many in the European People’s Party. | That was simply unacceptable to many in the European People’s Party. |
| As Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of Ireland said on Sunday, “The vast majority of the EPP prime ministers don’t believe that we should give up the presidency of the Commission quite so easily, without a fight.” | As Prime Minister Leo Varadkar of Ireland said on Sunday, “The vast majority of the EPP prime ministers don’t believe that we should give up the presidency of the Commission quite so easily, without a fight.” |
| So the EPP leaders chose party over the principle of the leading candidate, which is likely to mean the end of that idea. | So the EPP leaders chose party over the principle of the leading candidate, which is likely to mean the end of that idea. |
| For all the drama, it is important to remember that the real power in the European Union rests with its member states and their leaders, not with the heads of the bloc’s bureaucracy. | For all the drama, it is important to remember that the real power in the European Union rests with its member states and their leaders, not with the heads of the bloc’s bureaucracy. |
| The Commission president, the most important of them, and the foreign policy chief must be approved by Parliament. | The Commission president, the most important of them, and the foreign policy chief must be approved by Parliament. |
| And in the new Parliament itself, which met for the first time on Tuesday in Strasbourg, members from the Brexit Party stood with their backs to the podium during the playing of the European Union’s anthem, “Ode to Joy,” while members of the British Liberal Democrats wore yellow T-shirts reading: “Bollocks to Brexit.” | And in the new Parliament itself, which met for the first time on Tuesday in Strasbourg, members from the Brexit Party stood with their backs to the podium during the playing of the European Union’s anthem, “Ode to Joy,” while members of the British Liberal Democrats wore yellow T-shirts reading: “Bollocks to Brexit.” |