The person concerned will be the one managing the negotiations on behalf of the S&D group: Martin Schulz, candidate for the European Commission Presidency, has been appointed by the heads of S&D delegations during the first meeting after the European election. He will then be their representative during the talks. The outgoing President of the European Parliament has also officially proposed himself as President of the S&D Group, position which will be elected on June 18. The candidacy collides directly with the expected – yet not official – candidacy by the Italian Gianni Pittella, representative of the biggest delegation of the entire S&D group.
Dealing with the Commission Presidency, Socialists keep on reiterating that, in respect of the electoral outcome, it is now up to Jean-Claude Juncker to muster a parliamentary majority. Still, the will of supporting him is different: “Our group will support solely a European Commission President ready to commit himself against austerity,” explained the Head of the Group, Hannes Swoboda. Not exactly a passport photo of Juncker. Moreover, “the EU need to lead the way in the fight against tax evasion,” added Swoboda. Another issue that Socialists seem ready to use to the detriment of the EPP candidate, former President of a tax haven such as Luxembourg. Juncker is then entitled to try gathering a majority, yet “it is clear that discussions should deal first with contents and then with persons and positions.”
