This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/10/world/europe/race-for-a-top-job-in-europe-hits-the-road.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Race for a Top Job in Europe Hits the Road Race for a Top Job in Europe Hits the Road
(35 minutes later)
NIVELLES, Belgium — Jean-Claude Juncker, the former prime minister of Luxembourg who helped steer Europe through its currency crisis, sought to strengthen his bid to become the next president of the European Commission this week by taking to the road in an American-style campaign tour bus.NIVELLES, Belgium — Jean-Claude Juncker, the former prime minister of Luxembourg who helped steer Europe through its currency crisis, sought to strengthen his bid to become the next president of the European Commission this week by taking to the road in an American-style campaign tour bus.
Mr. Juncker’s first stops on Tuesday were Nivelles, a city in French-speaking Wallonia, and Antwerp, the biggest city in Flanders, where he toured small businesses and met members of parties affiliated with the center-right European People’s Party. The party hopes to win a majority in landmark elections next month to the European Parliament that, in a potentially transformative step for democracy in Europe, could determine the leadership of the union’s powerful policy-making arm.Mr. Juncker’s first stops on Tuesday were Nivelles, a city in French-speaking Wallonia, and Antwerp, the biggest city in Flanders, where he toured small businesses and met members of parties affiliated with the center-right European People’s Party. The party hopes to win a majority in landmark elections next month to the European Parliament that, in a potentially transformative step for democracy in Europe, could determine the leadership of the union’s powerful policy-making arm.
“It’s the first time that political families have top candidates, and these top candidates have to travel throughout Europe,” Mr. Juncker said on the inaugural bus journey. Mr. Juncker said he also wanted “to bridge this gap between North and South,” referring to the legacy of bitterness between the wealthier members of the union, including Germany, and less-prosperous members like Greece after a bruising sovereign-debt crisis.“It’s the first time that political families have top candidates, and these top candidates have to travel throughout Europe,” Mr. Juncker said on the inaugural bus journey. Mr. Juncker said he also wanted “to bridge this gap between North and South,” referring to the legacy of bitterness between the wealthier members of the union, including Germany, and less-prosperous members like Greece after a bruising sovereign-debt crisis.
The role of the commission includes negotiating overseas treaties like plans for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States. The commission also has the power to impose huge penalties directly on companies for breaking antitrust laws. That led to fines on Microsoft totaling 1.7 billion euros during the past decade.The role of the commission includes negotiating overseas treaties like plans for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States. The commission also has the power to impose huge penalties directly on companies for breaking antitrust laws. That led to fines on Microsoft totaling 1.7 billion euros during the past decade.
Mr. Juncker, 59, is something of an establishment figure in Europe. He spent nearly 19 years in charge of Luxembourg, a moneyed and sedate nation, and was president of the group of finance ministers for the euro zone over the course of the European debt crisis.Mr. Juncker, 59, is something of an establishment figure in Europe. He spent nearly 19 years in charge of Luxembourg, a moneyed and sedate nation, and was president of the group of finance ministers for the euro zone over the course of the European debt crisis.
Although Mr. Juncker enhanced his reputation for consensual leadership while leading the so-called Eurogroup of ministers, he still presided over highly divisive decisions that forced countries like Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus to swallow the bitter medicine of austerity. He also developed a curmudgeonly reputation by griping about his aching kidney stones during marathon negotiations with finance ministers and rebuffing reporters with gnomic explanations in German or Luxembourgish.Although Mr. Juncker enhanced his reputation for consensual leadership while leading the so-called Eurogroup of ministers, he still presided over highly divisive decisions that forced countries like Ireland, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus to swallow the bitter medicine of austerity. He also developed a curmudgeonly reputation by griping about his aching kidney stones during marathon negotiations with finance ministers and rebuffing reporters with gnomic explanations in German or Luxembourgish.
Adding to the sense that Mr. Juncker hails from a different era, he likes to pause for cigarette breaks and he greeted at least one women on his staff with a kiss to the hand in Tuesday morning.Adding to the sense that Mr. Juncker hails from a different era, he likes to pause for cigarette breaks and he greeted at least one women on his staff with a kiss to the hand in Tuesday morning.
By emblazoning the exterior of his bus with his picture and his Twitter handle, Mr. Juncker’s team is seeking to inject his bid with a dose of youthful razzle-dazzle for an unprecedented campaign that, at heart, is about Europeanizing politics that have remained stubbornly national more than a half-century since the building blocks for the union were laid after the Second World War.By emblazoning the exterior of his bus with his picture and his Twitter handle, Mr. Juncker’s team is seeking to inject his bid with a dose of youthful razzle-dazzle for an unprecedented campaign that, at heart, is about Europeanizing politics that have remained stubbornly national more than a half-century since the building blocks for the union were laid after the Second World War.
Allowing the Parliament a leading role in determining who runs the commission — a vast bureaucracy that proposes European Union laws on everything from bankers’ bonuses to renewable energy — represents “a democratic evolution and perhaps a revolution,” said David Earnshaw, the chief executive based in Brussels for Burson-Marsteller, a public affairs company closely tracking the elections. “That is why this campaign is so very important and why the candidates must get beyond Brussels.”Allowing the Parliament a leading role in determining who runs the commission — a vast bureaucracy that proposes European Union laws on everything from bankers’ bonuses to renewable energy — represents “a democratic evolution and perhaps a revolution,” said David Earnshaw, the chief executive based in Brussels for Burson-Marsteller, a public affairs company closely tracking the elections. “That is why this campaign is so very important and why the candidates must get beyond Brussels.”
Mr. Juncker’s bus left from the European People’s Party’s headquarters, whose digital “war room” has dozens of twentysomethings from affiliated political parties across Europe working around the clock to post campaign updates on social media.Mr. Juncker’s bus left from the European People’s Party’s headquarters, whose digital “war room” has dozens of twentysomethings from affiliated political parties across Europe working around the clock to post campaign updates on social media.
“It’s the first time we’re doing this sort of digital campaign,” said Anne Schmitz, 23, a Dutch member of Mr. Juncker’s team and a member of her country’s Christian Democratic Appeal. “We’re going out to the people and we’re going to tell our story.”“It’s the first time we’re doing this sort of digital campaign,” said Anne Schmitz, 23, a Dutch member of Mr. Juncker’s team and a member of her country’s Christian Democratic Appeal. “We’re going out to the people and we’re going to tell our story.”
Mr. Juncker can also can boast support from some Greeks, including Jerry Zagoritis, 26, another member of the digital war room and a member of the New Democracy party led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Rather than inflicting painful wounds to the country, he said, Mr. Juncker “helped the Greek economy not to collapse.”Mr. Juncker can also can boast support from some Greeks, including Jerry Zagoritis, 26, another member of the digital war room and a member of the New Democracy party led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras. Rather than inflicting painful wounds to the country, he said, Mr. Juncker “helped the Greek economy not to collapse.”
Mr. Juncker’s campaign — and that of his main rival, Martin Schulz, the current president of the European Parliament and the top candidate of the Party of European Socialists — is partly a result of the Lisbon Treaty, which was agreed to in 2009 following the last parliamentary elections, held every five years.Mr. Juncker’s campaign — and that of his main rival, Martin Schulz, the current president of the European Parliament and the top candidate of the Party of European Socialists — is partly a result of the Lisbon Treaty, which was agreed to in 2009 following the last parliamentary elections, held every five years.
The treaty states that a majority of government leaders must nominate a candidate, whom the European Parliament then elects as president, also by a majority. In making their choice, government leaders must take “into account” the result of the election when nominating their candidate. But if Mr. Juncker’s party wins more seats than Mr. Schulz’s during the May 22-25 ballot, government leaders could still try to block his nomination and select their own candidate as part of complex horse-trading for top jobs. Also up for grabs after the election are the presidency of the European Council, which represents the national leaders, and the post of foreign policy chief for the bloc.The treaty states that a majority of government leaders must nominate a candidate, whom the European Parliament then elects as president, also by a majority. In making their choice, government leaders must take “into account” the result of the election when nominating their candidate. But if Mr. Juncker’s party wins more seats than Mr. Schulz’s during the May 22-25 ballot, government leaders could still try to block his nomination and select their own candidate as part of complex horse-trading for top jobs. Also up for grabs after the election are the presidency of the European Council, which represents the national leaders, and the post of foreign policy chief for the bloc.
On Tuesday, Mr. Juncker insisted that either he or Mr. Schulz must be chosen for the commission. Any other result “would open a major crisis in Europe” and for the “democratic legitimacy” for the union, he warned.On Tuesday, Mr. Juncker insisted that either he or Mr. Schulz must be chosen for the commission. Any other result “would open a major crisis in Europe” and for the “democratic legitimacy” for the union, he warned.
Mr. Juncker and Mr. Schulz were scheduled to debate Wednesday afternoon in Brussels.
Mr. Juncker has already sought to distinguish himself from his Socialist rival by opposing French efforts to exceed European Union deficit limits, by supporting German skepticism about sharing European debt, and by opposing a faster process for admitting Turkey to the union. For now, at least, Mr. Juncker’s stances on austerity and his caution over enlargement suit other conservative leaders, like Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who are seeking to ensure a counterweight to the campaign by the socialists led by Mr. Schulz.Mr. Juncker has already sought to distinguish himself from his Socialist rival by opposing French efforts to exceed European Union deficit limits, by supporting German skepticism about sharing European debt, and by opposing a faster process for admitting Turkey to the union. For now, at least, Mr. Juncker’s stances on austerity and his caution over enlargement suit other conservative leaders, like Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who are seeking to ensure a counterweight to the campaign by the socialists led by Mr. Schulz.
Mr. Juncker is also preferable to many business leaders, who regard a victory by the socialists as a recipe for more, rather than less, regulation from Brussels and as potentially damaging to efforts at striking a trans-Atlantic trade accord with the United States.Mr. Juncker is also preferable to many business leaders, who regard a victory by the socialists as a recipe for more, rather than less, regulation from Brussels and as potentially damaging to efforts at striking a trans-Atlantic trade accord with the United States.
Business leaders are already rattled at the prospect of insurgent parties from the far right and far left winning more seats than ever before, eroding the ability of the European People’s Party to push through relatively business-friendly legislation. The makeup of the new Parliament is expected to force the party to shift leftward and make more compromises with the socialists, no matter who comes out on top.Business leaders are already rattled at the prospect of insurgent parties from the far right and far left winning more seats than ever before, eroding the ability of the European People’s Party to push through relatively business-friendly legislation. The makeup of the new Parliament is expected to force the party to shift leftward and make more compromises with the socialists, no matter who comes out on top.
Yet with so much at stake, Mr. Juncker’s campaign still has a spur-of-the-moment feel.Yet with so much at stake, Mr. Juncker’s campaign still has a spur-of-the-moment feel.
The logo for the rental company in West Flanders that operates his campaign bus was clearly visible on Tuesday morning underneath the blue stickers bearing Mr. Juncker’s campaign slogan, “Experience. Solidarity. Future.”The logo for the rental company in West Flanders that operates his campaign bus was clearly visible on Tuesday morning underneath the blue stickers bearing Mr. Juncker’s campaign slogan, “Experience. Solidarity. Future.”
Mr. Juncker has no plans to campaign in Britain, where the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, rejected the European People’s Party as too federalist and instead chose another political grouping, the European Conservatives and Reformists group. That gives Mr. Juncker little leverage, at least for now, over Mr. Cameron’s approach to overhauling the union, and over heading off a “no” vote in a possible referendum on whether to leave.Mr. Juncker has no plans to campaign in Britain, where the Conservatives, led by Prime Minister David Cameron, rejected the European People’s Party as too federalist and instead chose another political grouping, the European Conservatives and Reformists group. That gives Mr. Juncker little leverage, at least for now, over Mr. Cameron’s approach to overhauling the union, and over heading off a “no” vote in a possible referendum on whether to leave.
“I didn’t receive any invitation from Britain until now,” Mr. Juncker said, “and so I’m not imposing my bus.”“I didn’t receive any invitation from Britain until now,” Mr. Juncker said, “and so I’m not imposing my bus.”
Instead, he said he would use the vehicle to visit up to four countries, including France and the Netherlands, and use airplanes for campaign trips to other parts of the union farther away, like Cyprus.Instead, he said he would use the vehicle to visit up to four countries, including France and the Netherlands, and use airplanes for campaign trips to other parts of the union farther away, like Cyprus.
Mr. Juncker said that as president of the commission, he would seek to respond to growing British about how some rules from Brussels that are meddlesome and even nonsensical. But he pushed back against compromising core elements of the its laws.Mr. Juncker said that as president of the commission, he would seek to respond to growing British about how some rules from Brussels that are meddlesome and even nonsensical. But he pushed back against compromising core elements of the its laws.
“I want to keep Britain in the European Union,” Mr. Juncker said on the campaign bus on Tuesday morning. But “if Britain wants to stay in the European Union, it has to accept that we cannot kill the basic principles of the European Union.”“I want to keep Britain in the European Union,” Mr. Juncker said on the campaign bus on Tuesday morning. But “if Britain wants to stay in the European Union, it has to accept that we cannot kill the basic principles of the European Union.”