Prime Minister Joseph Muscat’s undeclared ambitions to secure a top position in an EU institution were severely dented in last Saturday’s European elections, according to sources in Brussels.
They noted that the unexpected excellent performance of the Socialist party in Spain catapulted their chances of securing a nomination for one of the EU’s top four positions. “That may leave Muscat and other Socialist leaders with similar ambitions out in the cold”, the sources commented.
Following an informal EU summit meeting last Tuesday, in which the 28 EU leaders had their first opportunity to discuss the MEP election results the EU posts up for grabs, the sources said that, so far, “Muscat’s name is not on the radar”, despite his party’s outstanding performance in Malta.
“Although it is very early days, it seems it will be very difficult for Muscat to manage to get any of the top EU posts. Horse-trading between the leaders and the European Parliament has just started but, at least so far, the Maltese Prime Minister’s name does not feature,” a senior diplomat, who insisted on anonymity, said.
Joseph Muscat’s name is not on the radar
The Times of Malta is also informed that, during his intervention at the summit, Dr Muscat expressed himself against the system of the Spitzenkandidat, whereby the leader of the largest political force winning the MEP elections is elected president of the European Commission.
This position is shared by other heads of government, including Hungary’s Victor Orban, and, if adopted, would make the consideration of Dr Muscat’s name possible because the European People’s Party’s Manfred Weber and the Socialist’s Frans Timmermans would not automatically be the only two in the running.
However, according to the sources, Madrid remains by far Dr Muscat’s main problem.
“The Spanish Socialists have already pushed Foreign Minister Josep Borell, a former president of the European Parliament, as their preference for the post of the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, succeeding Federica Mogerini,” the senior diplomat said.
Although things are still fluid, the Socialists are only likely to be able to secure one of the four top positions. The others will most probably go to the nominees of the European People’s Party, the Liberals and the Greens, the latter two having performed well in last weekend’s elections.
Dr Muscat avoids answering questions on whether he was interested in Ms Mogerini’s job, however, the Brussels sources noted that this was an open secret among EU diplomats.
So far, no names have officially been mentioned in relation to the vacant posts: president of the European Commission, president of the European Council, president of the European Parliament and the high representative. Consultations are expected to take centre stage before the next EU summit scheduled for the end of June, when an agreement is expected.
Another option
The Prime Minster had another option: nominating himself as Malta’s next European commissioner, succeeding Karmenu Vella, sources close to the government said.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister told the Times of Malta “Dr Muscat is not interested in nominating himself to the post”. However, the sources said all options were left open and the commissioner nomination could well be a last option “if all the other doors are closed”.
Dr Muscat has been insisting he did not intend heading the government and the Labour Party beyond two legislatures and would resign before the next general election. Still, many party loyalists want him to stay and are in fact raising a petition asking him to change his mind.
“That petition will always come in handy, if need be,” the government sources said.