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Likely next EU Commission president Manfred Weber (l) and the current one, Jean-Claude Juncker. 'Candidates are not appointed in primaries with voters, but only by party apparatus in obscure ways' (Photo: European Parliament)

The democratic swindle of the Spitzenkandidat

The European elections are based, we hear, on the Spitzenkandidat.

Each European party presents a candidate. The one with the most votes in the EU sees his/her candidate become president of the European Commission.

It is supposed to "make Europe more democratic". Reality has revealed the opposite.

Firstly, democracy is not about who gets the most votes in elections, but who wins a majority in parliament. Giving the commission's presidency to the biggest party has no basis....

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Disclaimer

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver

Author Bio

Franklin Dehousse is a professor of law, and former judge at the Court of Justice of the EU.

Likely next EU Commission president Manfred Weber (l) and the current one, Jean-Claude Juncker. 'Candidates are not appointed in primaries with voters, but only by party apparatus in obscure ways' (Photo: European Parliament)

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Author Bio

Franklin Dehousse is a professor of law, and former judge at the Court of Justice of the EU.

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