Bershidsky, L. (2014) “Europe’s Center of Power Shifts East“, Bloomberg Views, 04 September.
As Jean-Claude Juncker assumes its presidency, the European Commission — Europe’s de-facto government — will ostensibly be run by representatives of the bloc’s newest, post-Communist members, but there will no longer be a commissioner for EU expansion. Europe needs time to heal, consolidate and reorient itself politically and economically. The reorientation appears to be along unfashionably conservative lines.
Euractiv, a website dedicated to EU policy, has obtained a document dated Sept. 2 and detailing portfolio distribution among the 28 commissioners, each representing a member country. It’s probably not the final version — the final lineup is expected next week — but it shows the direction of Juncker’s thinking.
According to the document, four of the commission’s six powerful vice presidents will be from Eastern Europe, compared with two out of five in the previous lineup. Poland’s Elzbieta Bienkowska will be responsible for budget and financial control, Estonia’s Andrus Ansip for growth and the monetary union, Latvia’s Valdis Dombrovskis for the energy union, and Slovenia’s Alenka Bratusek for digital and innovation. “Old Europe” is only getting two major portfolios, a new one — “better regulation” — for the Netherlands’ Frans Timmermans and foreign affairs for Federica Mogherini. Besides, Ireland’s Phil Hogan takes change of agriculture, an important purview because of the importance of agricultural subsidies to the EU budget.
Relevant posts:
- Tierney, S. (2014) “Europe is entering the ‘age of the referendum’, but there is nothing to fear for European democracy if referendums are properly regulated“, LSE EUROPP, 02 September.
- Mushaben, J. M. & Abels, G. (2014) “The lack of gender equality in EU decision-making means EU citizens are still suffering from a ‘double democratic deficit’“, LSE EUROPP Blog, 28 August.
- Pistor, K., (2014), “German Court decision: Legal authority and deep power implications”, VoxEU, 26 February