The making of a European President

This book tells the inside story of how a 'putsch' was organised in a Europe in crisis, and how a small group of European politicians brought about the biggest change in 20 years in EU leadership. The authors describe Europe's first presidential campaign, the personalities, controversies and incidents on the campaign trail, the policy differences, the rallies in battleground states, the use of social media and TV debates. They describe how Europe's most powerful governments were forced to make a humiliating climb-down and accept the election of a leader they did not support, chosen by a process they opposed.

The book also critically analyses this new system of electing the Paresident, what needs to change for 2019, and sets what happened in a broader historical context.

Contents:

1. The fragile state of the Union, 2014
2. Take me to your President, or what is the role of the President of the Commission?
3. A modest proposal: how the idea of lead candidates emerged
4. The idea enters the political arena
5. Hopefuls and runners: about the candidates
6. On the road
7. Deconstructing the results
8. The lady is for turning, or how the battle was won
9. An experience to be repeated? What happened here and what happens next?

This book tells the inside story of Europe's first presidential campaign, the candidates, how they were chosen, the campaign trail, the TV debates and the tense negotiations which followed. It explains what led to this new way of choosing the Commission president and what it means for the future of the EU.