Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1137604
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 JUNE 2019 NEWS EUROPE IT has been a busy June for Donald Tusk as he worked the telephones with EU leaders in a bid to find common accord on who should fill the EU's top jobs. European leaders meet to- night in Brussels after an in- conclusive summit a couple of weeks ago to try and agree on the 'dream team' that will lead the EU's various institutions over the next five years. MaltaToday has spoken to various sources in government and Brussels in an attempt to try and map out the possible permutations being floated in the corridors of power. The three scenarios presented here are by no means the only ones that can develop but as always "anything is possible" in a bloc of 28 countries. The scenarios do not take into consideration the post of EU 'foreign minister', which is often perceived as the least glamorous of the jobs that are up for grabs. The Socialists had settled for this post last time around after being mus- cled out by the EPP in all other positions. Sources close to the Social- ists insist that the group want more clout in the next legisla- tive period and are unlikely to settle for the foreign minister post. The situation is complicated because this race is about stars aligning for a set-up that takes into consideration geography, political families, gender rep- resentation and the qualities of the candidates. It is also a power struggle be- tween the 'big guns' in the EU – for which read Germany and France. German Chancellor Angela Merkel yields a lot of power in Brussels and is an avid sup- porter of the Spitzenkandidat process that could install co- national Manfred Weber as European Commission presi- dent. French President Emmanuel Macron opposes the process, which he claims is undemo- cratic. It is not clear who Ma- cron wants for the top jobs, but he has struck a deal with the Liberals in parliament – the third largest grouping. The Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is nego- tiating on behalf of the Social- ists, is known to be pushing for a socialist candidate for the Commission's top job. But there are the geographi- cal blocs that will yield power to varying degrees in the final decision. These include the Visegrad group of countries made up of Hungary, Poland, Czechia and Slovakia. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose party Fidesz was suspended from the European People's Party, has made it known he does not want Weber to be- come the next Commission president. There is also the Southern bloc of countries that met in Malta just over two weeks ago that can have a say in proceedings. Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta have their fair share of combined influence. But very strong influencers in the process are the Ben- elux countries – Belgium, Netherlands and Luxem- bourg – with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte having registered some interest in a post for himself. A number of EU leaders are participating at the G20 meeting in Osaka, Japan where most of the horse- trading is being done. This is a disadvantage for Prime Minister Joseph Mus- cat since Malta does not par- ticipate in the gathering of the most influential countries in the world. It is an open secret that Muscat harbours the ambi- tion to take up the post of European Council president instead of Tusk. Malta was the target in a vote by the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe this week after it ap- proved a damning report that called for an independ- ent inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. This is something that can- not be ignored. Within this complex con- text, the chances of Muscat clinching a top post are slim, albeit still alive as European leaders head to Brussels for their Sunday evening pow wow. The permutations Scenario 1 European Commission – Socialist European Council – Liberals European Parliament – EPP In this scenario the most likely names that emerge as fa- vourites are: • Frans Timmermans – Socialist – Netherlands (Benelux group) • Charles Michel – Lib- eral – Belgium (Benelux group) • Manfred Weber – EPP – Germany This would mean a defeat for Merkel, but also for Macron, because in this scenario the socialist lead candidate Frans Timmermans would get the Commission while the EPP would get Manfred Weber to preside the parliament. However, it could be testa- ment to Merkel's compromis- ing attitude by keeping the Spitzenkandidat process she supports, while ensuring the conservatives retain the top job in parliament. Timmermans, however, would have to overcome strong opposition from the eastern bloc countries, most notably Poland and Hungary. This scenario would give the Benelux countries two of the top posts after already hav- ing had a Commission presi- dent from Luxembourg (Jean- Claude Juncker) and a Council president (Herman Van Rom- puy) in the past two legisla- tures. Germany would get a marginal seat with the parlia- ment, which is viewed as the HealthCare Professions Act, 2003 (Act No. XII of 2003) Elections for the Appeals Committee Nominations of Candidates It is hereby notified that, for the purpose of Regulations 4 of the Appeals Committee (Elections) Regulations 2004, the nomination/s of candidate/s to fill the post of one registered nurse OR one licensed midwife as member of the Appeals Committee, in accordance with the provisions of Section 49 of the Health Care Professions Act 2003 (Cap. 464) will be received by the Electoral Commission of the Council for Nurses and Midwives, at the Boardroom of the Public Health Regulation Department St Luke's Hospital Level 1 Ex OPD G'Mangia Square Pieta ,on Friday 5 th July 2019 between 10.00 a.m. and 12.00p.m.(noon) and on Monday 8 th July between 10.00am-12.00pm (noon) The nomination forms for candidates are obtainable from the Council's Registrar Office from Monday 1st July 2019 to Thursday 4th July 2019 between 10,00am and 12,00pm or can be downloaded from https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/regcounc/cnm/Pages/cnm.aspx Jesmond Sharples Josianne Sultana Jeffrey Ellul Electoral Commissioner Electoral Commissioner Electoral Commissioner Europe's top posts and Muscat's chances A look into the crystal ball ahead of tonight's meeting of EU leaders tries to map out three scenarios for the bloc's top posts and Joseph Muscat's chances. Kurt Sansone reports