Though it had been expected that the EPP would announce its presidential candidate for the European Commission during the EPP summit in Warsaw next month, the EPP came together and surprised everyone by announcing it last Thursday evening.
Though the French leadership was not represented in the EPP meeting ahead of the European Summit, as Francois Fillon was not able to attend, the EPP in Brussels told New Europe that the decision to back Jose Manuel Barroso was of course taken after consultation between President of the EPP, Wilfried Martens, and the highest French political figures.
Martens stated that “ … Jose Manuel Barroso has a broad appeal in all the main political families and is by far the best candidate for this position taking into account his successful term as Commission President and his wide political experience at the national level”. And so, it’s official: “The Heads of State and Government of the European People’s Party have decided to back Jose Manuel Barroso for a second term as President of the European Commission.” Even the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy yielded on Friday that “I would not be embarrassed to support him, on the contrary”.

The question is, why now?

Is it out of consensus?
Have all the leaders of the EPP looked at the prospective candidates and all concluded that Barroso is the best candidate? That would be the best (and I say the best, because a leader out of consensus is a strong leader that can drive Europe forward).

Is it out of compromise?
We need not remind our readers that Barroso’s first term was the result of compromise. Barroso’s broad appeal to the main political families, as Martens states, cannot be denied. Perhaps this is the hope of the EPP, and strength of Barroso. Perhaps the EPP is becoming fearful of a negative European election outcome, and suggesting Barroso as a figure who can be supported by the other political families, including the European Socialists, if push comes to shove.

Is it out of chaos?
Financial crisis, a failed European Constitution, a pending Lisbon Treaty. Is Barroso the presidential candidate simply because he has one term of experience, and because right now experience counts more than anything else? It is a difficult question. Europe is in crisis – and Barroso has made mistakes. But Barroso’s mistakes are also experiences – which will hopefully prevent him from future mistakes. And though Barroso is the President of a Commission that has also made many mistakes, and important ones at that, we do not know that he would have the power to correct these mistakes, had he wanted to, or indeed whether he tried.

Though the EPP has given their official goahead, the Lisbon Treaty referendum in Ireland, which is expected to pass, will likely be the last hurdle of Barroso. The current climate is one that is definitely in his favour.