(23 February 2018) – If the implementation of transnational lists for the 2019 European elections does not appear to be panning out as Emmanuel Macron wished, the French president now hopes to gain the upper hand on the appointment of the next European Commission president.
At the informal summit on Friday (23 February), the 27 heads of state and government will be dealing with how to organise the 2019 European elections.
The French agenda includes: the size of the future European Commission, the creation of transnational lists, the spitzenkandidaten procedure and citizens’ consultations. “The point of all these issues is the same: to breathe new life into the European debate,” said a source in the French president’s office.
Emmanuel Macron, who has made Friday’s summit a key moment in his drive to overhaul the European project, will have to defend his positions on two separate fronts: transnational lists and the choice of the future Commission president. (EurActiv)