EU appointments, Renzi chilled Juncker: “Nobody has found a majority, no diktat allowed then”

He didn’t say any name. Not on possible Italian candidacies nor on the persons he would like to see on the top offices of the next European institutions. Still, a clear-cut message emerged from the words Matteo Renzi said on the sidelines of the G-7: “No candidate has found a majority,” underlined the Prime Minister, talking “as the Head of the party which received more votes than any other in Europe.” This is why “no one can impose anything,” “not a political party elected at the Parliament, nor a European Member States.” That is to say: the electoral result of the EPP candidate, Jean-Claude Juncker, does not allow his party (nor Germany) to impose him automatically as the next European Commission President.

“Rules say the proposal of a name is up to the Council,” said Renzi. It is important to respect the indication given by citizens, yet “this is not the time for diktats, nor the place for vetoes.” It is time for “a shared point of view” to “give an answer to citizens and not to the ambitions of individual candidates.”

It is time, as Renzi reiterated, to start from ideas – not names. And the idea of the Italian government is that “a policy based on austerity and not on growth and development has already shown his flaws.” This is why “today we are aware that we need to turn the corner.” Another indication which seems to go against the possible presidency of the champion of austerity measures, Juncker, President of the EuroGroup in the years of the crisis.

Dealing with Italy, Renzi reassured that there is no will of pushing for national candidacies: “We do not hold on choices made on geographic basis: we are convinced europhiles and the only thing that matters is that institutions must work well.” Sure, “Italy wants to be protagonist, but a leading role is not guaranteed by an identity card. Ideas work for that.”