Santer Commission - Appointment

Appointment

European Union


Politics and government of
the European Union

Parliament
  • President
    • Martin Schulz
  • Largest groups;
    • Joseph Daul: EPP
    • María Badía (Interim): S&D
  • 7th session
    • MEPs (736)
      • 2009-14 term
  • Bureau
    • Vice Presidents
    • Quaestor
  • Conference
  • Legislative procedure
European Council
  • President
    • Herman Van Rompuy
  • Parties
  • List of meetings
Council
  • Presidency
    • Cyprus
  • Configurations
    • General
    • Foreign
    • Economic
      • Euro
  • Legislative procedure
  • Voting
  • Secretariat
    • Secretary-General
      • Uwe Corsepius
    • COREPER
Commission
  • Barroso Comm.
  • President
    • José M. Barroso
  • Vice Presidents
    • Catherine Ashton
    • Viviane Reding
    • Joaquín Almunia
    • Siim Kallas
    • Neelie Kroes
    • Antonio Tajani
    • Maroš Šefčovič
    • Commissioners
    • Civil Service
    • Secretary-General
    • Catherine Day
Court of Justice
  • Court of Justice
  • General Court
  • Civil Service Tribunal
  • Members
  • Rulings
Central Bank
  • Central Bank
    • President
    • ESCB
    • Euro
    • EMU
    • Eurozone
Court of Auditors
  • Court of Auditors
    • Budget
    • OLAF]
Agencies
Other bodies
  • Investment Bank
  • CoR
  • EESC
  • Ombudsman
  • National parliaments
Policies and issues
  • Budget
  • Four Freedoms
    • Economic area
    • Single market
    • Area of FS&J
    • Schengen
  • Policies
    • Agricultural
    • Energy
    • Fisheries
    • Regional
  • Citizenship
    • Identity
    • Pro-Europeanism
    • Euroscepticism
  • Integration
    • Supranationalism
    • Federalism
    • U.S.E.
    • Multi-speed
    • Opt-outs
    • Enhanced co-op
    • Withdrawal
Foreign relations
  • High Representative
    • Catherine Ashton
  • Ext. Action Service
  • Foreign Policy
  • Defence Policy
  • Enlargement
Elections
  • 1979, 1984, 1989
    1994, 1999, 2004
  • 2009 (last election)
  • 2014 (next election)
  • Political parties
  • Constituencies
  • Referendums
Law
  • Acquis
    • Primacy
    • Subsidiarity
  • Treaties
  • Fundamental Rights
  • Membership

In 1994 Jacques Delors was due to step down from a successful tenure as President of the European Commission. However his federalist style was not to the liking of many national governments. Hence when the proposal of Jean-Luc Dehaene (the then-Prime Minister of Belgium) was presented, he was vetoed by the UK on the grounds he was too federalist. Jacques Santer, then-Prime Minister of Luxembourg, was seen as less federalist as his presidency had earlier proposed the pillar structure. Hence he was nominated and approved by the European Council on 1994-07-15.

Hence he was seen as being the "second choice" which weakened his position, with the European Parliament approving him only by a narrow majority. Santer himself admitted that he "was not the first choice - but to become Commission president was not my first choice either." He did however flex his powers over the nominations for the other Commissioners. The President gained this power under the Maastricht Treaty that came into force the previous year. On 1995-01-18 managed to get his Commission approved by Parliament by 416 votes to 103 (a larger majority than expected) and they were appointed by the Council on 23 January.

Read more about this topic:  Santer Commission

Famous quotes containing the word appointment:

    Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few.
    George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)

    In not having an appointment at Harvard, I’m in the company of a great many people whose work I admire tremendously, in particular women of color.
    Catharine MacKinnon (b. 1946)