Maroš Šefčovič (source: TASR)
Slovak Maroš Šefčovič will not run for the post of the European Commission’s top post in next year’s election. The Party of European Socialists (PES) decided to nominate Frans Timmermans from the Netherlands, who currently serves as the EC’s first vice-president, for the post.
European People’s Party outrun
The decision came two days before the European People’s Party (EPP) is set to announce its leader, the so-called Spitzenkandidat. The EPP gathers at its rally on November 7 in Helsinki.
Šefčovič wrote to PES President Sergei Stanishev that he supports Timmermans as the PES candidate, as reported by the TASR newswire.
“The First Vice-President of the EC, who comes from the Netherlands, thus remains the only PES candidate in the election, and the party’s decision is yet to be confirmed on November 30,” Šefčovič said, as quoted by TASR.
Breakthrough vote
The 2019 European Parliament election will be vital for the shape and further route of the European Union, stressed Šefčovič, who currently serves as the EC Vice-President for Energy Union. Therefore, in an effort to “strengthen the unity of the PES and invest its energy into preparations of a strong, effective campaign”, Šefčovič decided to endorse Timmermans as the common candidate.
“Not only as a politician and diplomat but also as a sportsman, I prefer teamwork and I know when to put the common interest and goals above personal ones,” he added, as quoted by TASR.
However, Šefčovič will be fundamentally shaping the PES manifesto and broadening a list of new topics as a PES coordinator of the party’s manifesto priorities. He wants to particularly focus on topics crucial for the EU and its citizens, pointing to industrial policy, international trade, and the preparation of the youth in the era of globalisation, digitalisation and automatisation.
“I believe this strategic view and modernisation of our economies is the alpha and omega of whether this century will be European, American, or Chinese,” he underlined in his letter to Stanishev, as quoted by TASR.
