In Borgen, the award-winning Danish TV series of the 2010s, the negative image of a career in the EU institutions was in the spotlight, with “In Brussels, no one can hear you scream” one of its well-known quotes.
A similar notion has also long existed in Germany, where Europe was considered a retirement home for veteran politicians. Hast du einen Opa, schick ihn nach Europa – if you have a grandpa, send him to Europe – a commonly used phrase says.
But the tide seems to be turning with Europe playing an increasingly prominent role in the national political landscape and the career paths of many high-ranking politicians. While a posting in Brussels used to be almost a political death sentence, it can now be seen as a political kickstarter in many regards.
There are many recent examples of this trend, from former EU climate boss Frans Timmermans becoming the leader of the socialist-green alliance in the Netherlands to former commissioner Mariya Gabriel, who became one of Bulgaria’s two rotating prime ministers.
But you don’t necessarily have to be a commissioner to secure a top job nationally, as seen in last week’s appointment of former Renew Europe head Stéphane Séjourné as French foreign minister. And he is not alone, as the current foreign ministers of Poland, Slovenia, Latvia, and Lithuania were all previously lawmakers in the European Parliament.
A similar trend can also be seen in Spain, where many ministers in the new Pedro Sanchez cabinet have a background in the EU institutions.
The Socialist Vice-President and Minister of Economy Nadia Calviño – the leading candidate to head the European Investment Bank – previously worked as deputy director general in the Commission’s DG COMP for financial services, mergers, and antitrust.
Similarly, Pablo Bustinduy of the left-leaning Sumar party, part of the ruling coalition, ran in the EU elections in 2019 and worked in the European Parliament as a coordinator for his party.
Of course, this is not the case in every member state. In Austria, for instance, the conservative ÖVP had trouble finding a suitable candidate to replace First Vice-President of the European Parliament Othmar Karas, who will leave politics for good.
After several candidates turned down the offer, the ÖVP settled on Monday on Reinhold Lopatka, a former party leader whose best political years are already behind him.
But Austria seems to be more of an outlier here.
Even in Denmark, which has been notorious for opting out of many important EU policies, a job in the European Parliament is today perceived as a political opportunity.
This is even reflected in Borgen itself. The last season that aired in 2022 ends with the protagonist, former prime minister Birgitte Nyborg, heading to Brussels to assume the role of the Danish commissioner – thereby referencing the EU’s rise in significance even in popular culture.
*Charles Szumski contributed to this story
The Roundup
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told a European Parliament plenary on Wednesday she was “confident” of getting Hungary to drop its Ukraine aid veto at a decisive summit on 1 February, but Budapest’s new alliance-in-the-making could still complicate things.
NATO members and defence industries must step up commitments to meet the military’s needs to prepare for all eventualities because we are “in an era in which anything can happen at any time”, the alliance’s military committee chief, Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, said on Wednesday.
With an overwhelming majority, the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position for the EU rules on national debts and deficits, despite Green fears that it could lead to renewed austerity and destabilise the European Union.
The European Parliament objected to raising the limit of the maximum quantity of residues of the insecticide thiacloprid, banned in the EU from 2020, on more than 30 products coming from third countries.
To maintain online integrity in an election-heavy year around the world, tech leaders gathered in Davos debated on Tuesday evening the recent rise of AI and its implications for misleading campaigns and deceptive content in the run-up to polls.
Emmanuel Macron proposed during a press conference at the Élysée Palace on Tuesday new rules for decreasing youth screen time in a bid to prevent the spreading of conspiracy theories online.
European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas is about to complete a tour of the five Central Asian countries in advance of an ‘Investors Forum for EU-Central Asia Transport Infrastructure’, to be held in Brussels on 29-30 January.
While tobacco use is declining globally, Europe is home to one of the highest percentages of tobacco use, particularly among women and youth, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Last but not least, for more policy news, check out this week’s Green Brief and the Health Brief.
Look out for…
- European Parliament’s plenary in Strasbourg Monday-Thursday.
- World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Monday-Friday.
- Commissioner Nicolas Schmit participates in Minimum Income event organised by Belgian Council Presidency on Thursday.
- Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas participates in Brussels Cybersecurity Summit on Friday.
Views are the author’s
[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic/Alice Taylor]
Source: euractiv.com
