Why top jobs matters

On the 16 July the European Council had a discussion about who will become the next European Council President and EU´s foreign affairs chief, but no nominations were announced. That was not a surprise. The appointments for top jobs in the EU system is of great political importance for the union and its member states.

The persons acting as presidents and commissioners can influence EU´s development along three political dimensions: the power balance between the EU institutions, the degree of continued integration and the political output in different policy areas. These dimensions are also interwoven.

The power balance between the institutions is described in the Treaties, but there will always be room for discretion and interpretations. For some years - during the euro crisis - the European Council and the intergovernmental method of decision making have dominated. Now  the Presidents of the Parliament and  Commission are eager to change the power balance and revive the more federalist Community method of decision making. The acceptance of the spitzenkandidatsystem  and a kind of parliamentarism has strengthened  these endeavors, although the council will have another look at the process for the appointment of the President of the Commission later.

The degree of integration will be influenced in many ways, but the presidents and the commissioners are  important players. This was illustrated when reelected President of the Parliament, Martin Schultz, in a press briefing said that the parliament might block the UK´s commissioner candidate if he was a eurosceptic.

The distribution of top jobs are also important for the politcal output in different policy areas. Even if the commissioners according to the Treaties shall be independent of national authorities, each member state has a commissioner and there is a fight for the jobs which are considered to be most powerful or represent policy areas of special importance for a member state. Member states with common interests can also cooperate to influence the allocation of top jobs, e.g. East European member states opposing an Italian candidate for the post as foreign affairs chief because she is perceived as Russia friendly.

So the appointments to top jobs are about more than the allocation of prestigious positions among European celebrities. The discussions and bargaining will continue and the European Council will meet again 30 August .