Politics, Legitimacy and Institutional Balance: What is the EU and Why is the Commission?

The 2014 European elections were intended to boost the legitimacy of both the European Parliament and the European Commission. The person nominated by the European Council as the next Commission President was the candidate of the European political party which won most seats, and was thus ‘elected’ by Parliament. This process may prove to have contributed to multi-level political participation in the long run.

However, it has not (yet) halted the trend of an ever lower turnout in European elections, while the results produced a further weakening of the core centrist, and pro-integration groups in Parliament. Jean-Claude Juncker, the incoming President, stressed that his Commission would be political, not technocratic. He has also suggested that the democratic legitimacy of the Commission comes from the European Parliament.

The Commission has always been institutionally accountable to the Parliament, but its role in promoting the general interest of the Union also depends upon its being seen as independent and impartial, and not directly linked to short-term party politics. The legitimacy of this role lies largely in the treaty which created the Commission.

On the other hand, greater sensitivity to organised political opinion at EU level is a counterweight to politicisation by national influences, and the supranational appointment of the President is a balance to the composition of one member from each Member State, now including several former Prime Ministers. This may prove to be a new institutional hybrid which is actually rather well suited for the uncertain political times ahead.

EIPASCOPE: Archive http://www.eipa.eu/en/eipascope/archive/

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