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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 4 MAY 2014 VII Europe 2014 Who will be the next President? The EC presidential debate On 15 May Eurovision will screen a 90-minute live televised debate between candidates to be the next President of the European Commission. The first debate of this sort hosted by Euronews t took place took place on Monday. The Eurovision debate will take place in front of a live studio audience in the European Parliament plenary chamber, in Brussels, under a strict set of rules and chaired by veteran Italian journalist, war correspondent, TV anchor, author, filmmaker and broadcasting executive, Monica Maggioni. The next EC President The Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force on 1 December 2009, provides that the European Parliament shall elect the president of the European Commission on the basis of a proposal made by the European Council, taking into account the European elections This provision will apply for the first time for the 2014 elections. Nevertheless, major EU politicians such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel have questioned the aspiration of European political parties to link the presidency of the European Commission with the result of the European elections and insist that the future Commission president has to suit member states' expectations first. Though the all powerful German Chancellor supported Juncker for the EPP nomination, some suspect that Angela Merkel sees him as a stalking horse to hold the EPP candidacy for now, but will support someone else when it comes time for member state leaders to put forward a nominee in June. #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 The European political parties select their candidates for the EC presidency FEBRUARY-MARCH Europeans elect the new European Parliament 22-25 MAY 2014 The Council president consults with the EU on a possible candidate for the EC president, taking into account the result of the elections. Following consultations, the Council president proposes a candidate to member states. The Council decides by qualified majority JUNE Election of the Commission President by the European Parliament by a majority of its component members (at least 376) JULY The member states propose the commissioners- designate in close cooperation with the new president of the Commission Hearings of the commissioners- designate by the EP committees AUGUST-SEPTEMBER Vote by the European Parliament on the news Commission 9by a majority of the vote cast) Inauguration of the new Commission OCTOBER-NOVEMBER #7 THE ELECTION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION AT A GLANCE The Greens were the only party to elect their candidates through an on-line primary in which everyone could vote. Alternattiva Demokra- tika supported both Bove and Ska Kel- ler during the primary in which more than 23,000 voters across Europe participated. The 61-year-old Bove is a French farm- er and fierce critic of capitalist globali- sation. In 2002, Bové was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for his role in the destruction of a McDonald's fran- chise in Millau. Bove had joined activists in dismantling the half-built McDonald's restaurant; loading doors, walls and roof tiles into tractor carts and dumping them in front of the town hall in protest at US trade restrictions. In 2003 Bové began serving a sentence of ten months for the destruction of trans- genic crops. President Jacques Chirac in- tervened in the case reducing the sentence to seven months. In his bid for the French Presidency where he got half a million votes and the endorsement of internationally re- nowned actress Juliette Binoche. In June 2009, he was elected to the Eu- ropean Parliament, as a candidate of Europe Ecologie, which garnered over 16% of the vote. In his acceptance speech Bove promised that he will defend Europe that protects from the globalisation that is destroying jobs and the environment. "More than ever, for me Europe in 2014 represents a subversive and pragmatic dream to leave nationalism and selfishness behind. We need more Europe. We need more of a better Europe." Born in East Germany, the 33-year-old Ska Keller studied Islamic studies, Turkish and Jewish Studies at Free University of Berlin and specializes in migration issues. In her acceptance speech she promised to put youth unemployment on top of her agenda and protect the rights of refugees and migrants. Ska Keller / José Bové European Green Party The head of Europe's Liberals, Guy Verhofstadt a former Belgian Prime Minister's is the most federalist option on the menu. "Europe, and more of it, is the one sure way out of the finan- cial crisis,m" he said in his acceptance speech. At the onset of his political career in Belgium his young age and economic views earned him the "Baby Thatcher" nickname but he gradually moved away from neoliberalism and became more of a centrist figure, a change which espe- cially became clear during his first term as Prime Minister. Verhofstadt's recipe includes a com- mon energy policy. "We have still 28 different energy poli- cies with high energy prices. So by hav- ing one European energy community this prices should go down." Verhofstadt, a founder of the Spinelli group of European federalists is pre- senting his brand of liberal federalism as an antidote to Euroscepticsm. Alexis Tsipras European Left Guy Verhoftsadt Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe Leader of the Liberal Group in the EP - Former prime minister of Belgium 1999- 2008 - Believes in federal EU Nationality Belgian Age 61 Leader of the Greek opposition Syriza - Anti-austerity - Against neoliberal globalisation Nationality Greek Age 39 In a media coup, the European left, which includes communist and Nordic eco- socialist parties, has nominated Greek Syriza Alexis Tsiripas as its candidate. Tsiripas represents the struggle against the politics of austerity, which left its most dev- astating effects on Greece, which had to bear the brunt of spending cuts imposed by the EU/IMF troika. Tsiripas is a supporter of European unity but advocated a different social Europe, which supports public investments. He hails from the Euro communist Syriza, which split from the orthodox Communist Party to be- come the leading force on the Greek left af- ter the collapse of the Socialist Party. Tsipras led SYRIZA through the 2012 elections, overseeing a swing of over 22% to the party, and becoming the Leader of the Opposition. In his country he is admired for travelling by motorbike rather than the limos favoured by other Greek political lead- ers, and preferring an open-necked shirts to a suit and tie. He shocked the establishment when he attended an official ceremony com- memorating the end of the military junta es- corted by a young African immigrant. Nationality German Nationality French Against inequality between north & south - Defends refugee and migrants' rights Age 32 Agricultural unionist - Anti-military and alter- globalisation activist Age 61