The Making of a European President

Description

This book tells the inside story of Europe's first presidential campaign, the candidates, how they were chosen, the campaign trail, the TV debates and the tense negotiations which followed. It explains what led to this new way of choosing the Commission president and what it means for the future of the EU. Cover Contents List of Tables Foreword Preface Acknowledgements About the Authors List of Abbreviations Prologue 1 The Fragile State of the Union, 2014 1.1 A portrait of the Union after six years of crisis 1.2 A union falling apart? The increase in divisions between and within member states 1.3 The increasing gap between citizens and politicians 2 Take Me to Your President, or What Is the Role of the President of the Commission? 2.1 The nature of the beast: Regulatory authority or political executive? 2.2 The chosen men and how they got there 2.3 A presidency or a primus inter pares? The changing role and style of the Commission presidency 2.4 Restructuring an enlarged Commission? 2.5 All the President’s men (and woman) Conclusion 3 A Modest Proposal: How the Idea of Lead Candidates Emerged 3.1 How the argument plays out 3.2 How appointing the Commission President has changed in principle and in practice 3.3 How the link with the elections ended up in the Treaty 3.4 How the jump was made from a link to the elections to a first presidential election 4 The Idea Enters the Political Arena 4.1 European political parties, the broadest of churches 4.2 The first tentative steps 4.3 The Socialist conversion 4.4 The parties play catch-up 4.5 The Commission gives its blessing 5 Hopefuls and Runners: About the Candidates 5.1 The parties make their picks 6 On the Road 6.1 The staggering challenge of a pan-European campaign 6.2 Behind the scenes in the campaigns 6.3 The candidates on tour 6.4 What the candidates said 6.5 Some controversy on the campaign trail 6.6 The debates 6.7 Media and communication: Something is different this time 7 Deconstructing the Results 8 The Lady Is for Turning, or How the Battle Was Won 9 An Experience to Be Repeated? What Happened Here and What Happens Next? 9.1 What changed? 9.2 What can and should change next time? Notes Bibliography Index