Publication details
Die Wahl der Kommissionspräsident:innen: Die Rolle von Persönlichkeit und Führungsstil der Kandidat:innen in Parlamentsdebatten
| Title in English | Electing the European Commission’s Presidents: The Role of Candidates’ Personal Qualities and Leadership Styles in European Parliament Debates |
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| Year of publication | 2025 |
| Type | Chapter of a book |
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| Description | The European Union (EU) witnessed the third EP electoral campaign featuring Spitzenkandidaten nominated by the EU political parties. This chapter focuses on the processes leading to the election of the European Commission (EC) President and the EC as a whole over the past three occasions, viewed from the perspective of EU leadership studies. The primary focus is on Member of the European Parliament (MEPs’) expectations regarding the leadership styles and personal qualities of the European Council (EUCO) candidates. Do MEPs care about who a particular candidate is? Are there any specific personal characteristics and qualities of candidates the EP and its MEPs seek? The analysis presented in this chapter reveals that MEPs refer to the candidates’ qualities and leadership styles only to a limited extent. The elections of the EC President and the College are predominantly about policies rather than the candidates themselves. This is not to say that the candidates’ personal qualities are entirely irrelevant. Being an experienced politician with a strong pro-European attitude and an ambitious political programme for the Commission appears to be an essential set of qualities a candidate for the EC Presidency should possess. |