Jerzy Buzek, the new president of the European Parliament, Strasbourg, 14.07.2009 (AFP)

A new Jerzy for Strasbourg

With economic crisis, climate change, immigration and enlargement on the agenda, the European parliament has a heavy schedule for the next five years. Under the leadership of a new president hailing for the first time from Eastern Europe, MEPs, however, can expect a turbulent time ahead, warns the European press.

Published on 14 July 2009 at 17:02
Jerzy Buzek, the new president of the European Parliament, Strasbourg, 14.07.2009 (AFP)

The 736 MEPs that were elected or re-elected on 7 June have attended the opening session of the European Parliament's five-year term, which will likely be marked by a number of key developments in the history of the Union. "The Nice Treaty has already granted the European Parliament an important role in the legislative process of the EU. If the new Lisbon Treaty is finally ratified this autumn, the parliament will have an even greater say in the fields of agriculture, justice and domestic policy in EU member states," reportsDie Presse. However, the Viennese daily also enumerates the list of vexed questions on the agenda for MEPs, which include the financial crisis and the issue of assistance to banks — and the 2010 EU budget, which has earmarked 2.4 billion euros for economic recovery plan, but has yet to decide where the money will come from.

According to Die Presse, the question of EU enlargement will also be problematic, because a consensus will have to established on the Bavarian Christian Democrats (CSU) proposal that the German parliament must officially grant approval for the opening of accession talks with any future member states. "This could have a negative impact on the accession of Turkey," reports the daily. Further challenges include the preparation of a new agreement on climate change, and the vexed question of immigration. In the spring of this year, the European Parliament called for greater flexibility in the application of rules on immigration, a position that is not shared by the majority of member states.

In the meantime, the major event of the opening session was the election of Poland's Jerzy Buzek as president of the parliament, the expected result of a long-standing agreement between the right-wing European Peoples' Party and the Socialists and Democrats group PASD. For Gazeta Wyborzca, Buzek's appointment marked the highly symbolic realization of hopes and dreams that were born in the shipyards Gdansk 30 years ago. In Bucharest, Evenimentul Zilei also saw overwhelming support for the first east European to be elected as President of the EU Parliament, "as a testament not only to the agreement between the two most powerful political groups, but also a measure of a much deserved increase in the influence exerted by Eastern European states within the EU." However, Gazeta Wyborzca also warns that President Buzek "will be judged as a representative of Poland and the “new” Europe. “Old” member states will consider his performance to be a gauge of the European competence of “new” members - and the extent of common purpose within the Union."

Another Polish newspaper, the Warsaw daily Polska delightedly reports that the election of Jerzy Buzek means that Poland has joined the "European Champions League," and is now one of "an elite group of countries that set the tone about what happens in the Union." However, the daily also notes Mr Buzek " only, and prove himself to be a ‘model European.’ Those who think it will be easier for us to pursue our national interests now that we have our man in a top job in Brussels and Strasbourg are grossly mistaken,’ concludes Polska.

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Another key issue to be discussed by the European Parliament will be the appointment of the next European Commission president. As Evenimentul Zilei reports, MEPs "have already shown they are a force to be reckoned with by refusing to sanction the immediate reappointment of Portugal's José Manuel Barroso." As the Romanian daily puts it, the European Parliament is now "an institution with teeth."

For France's Le Figaro, "The real question is: how long will the Strasbourg parliament delay the vote on a second term for José Manuel Barroso, who is unanimously supported by Europe's 27 member states?" The French daily explains that the Green and Liberal parliamentary groups want to postpone a decision on Borroso until after the the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty scheduled for October 2. "If the Irish electorate ratifies Lisbon, which is altogether plausible, the Commission presidency will not be a foregone conclusion. The current Nice Treaty allows for the Commission President to be elected on the basis of a simple majority vote, whereas under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty, the President must have the support of an absolute majority of the Parliament's 736 MEPs" - and this will significantly increase the power of the Greens and the Liberals.

The French daily further observes that "a deal with the Socialists may be the key to success for Barroso." However, if the vote is delayed until the autumn, "the Commission President's enemies will have plenty of time to prepare an attack on his programme, which has yet to be announced." A few months may be enough to launch a campaign on behalf "of a rival candidate, who may emerge on the left or the right."

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