The public debate on the European Constitution more and more focuses on the crucial question on who should lead the government of the future European Union.

Many proposals are currently discussed inside and outside of the Constitutional Convention. Some voices propose giving the heads of state or government the right to nominate a European President. Others want to give the member states’ parliaments a say in electing the head of the EU executive. In some of these proposals the Commission is reduced to a mere technical Secretariat of the political executive.

The Union of European Federalists thinks that these proposals are going in the wrong direction and will enlarge the gap between the European Union and the Union citizens.

The Federalists instead want to give the European citizens the power to determine the head of the European Government. And UEF thinks that the European Commission is already the nucleus of a European Government. UEF does not consider necessary the establishment of any new posts or bureaucracies.

That is why the Federalists are very pleased that a strong group in the European Convention supports the idea of having the Commission President elected by the European Parliament.

This gives the European people a say in who governs them. And this empowers them to sanction the government in the following elections.

A Commission with such an enhanced democratic legitimacy can take over the role of a true and effective European Government responsible for all executive business of the EU and vested with sufficient financial means.

Only such a simple and transparent model for Europe putting democratic legitimacy and accountability to the citizens in the centre will win back the European citizens for the European Union project.

Contact : Bruno BOISSIERE, UEF Secretary-General, Tel. : +32-2.508 30 32

The Union of European Federalists (U.E.F.) is an independent, non-governmental, and supranational organisation dedicated to the promotion of a federal Europe. President : Jo LEINEN, MEP