With the election of the new European Parliament president, a shameful series of undemocratic backroom deals for EU top jobs has come full circle.

Condemning it as a “disservice to the EU”, GUE/NGL acting chair Martin Schirdewan (DIE LINKE, Germany) accused EU leaders and in particular Angela Merkel of “killing the Spitzenkandidaten process.”

“Commission President Nominee Von der Leyen has very little to do with the EU. As Germany´s Defence Minister, she presided over horrendous consultancy contracts, the Gorch Fock disaster and the desolate state of the German army. To reward her now with the leadership of the Commission is an intolerable development and a slap in the face of the electorate. Although Merkel has won her last power gamble, she brutally uncovered the democratic deficit of the EU and deepened its institutional and political crisis.”

Meanwhile yesterday, Left MEPs presented 10 key demands for new EU top-job holders. The proposals include the creation of a special climate emergency committee in Parliament, an end to neoliberal austerity and tax dodging, a humane asylum system, and real measures to deliver gender equality.

Presenting the demands, MEP Manon Aubry (France Insoumise, France) said that their aim is to defend the interests of the electorate given the deepening of the democratic deficit in the EU:

“The Left group refuses the opaque system of backroom deals on the distribution of top jobs. Our 10 common priorities are public and transparent: this will be the basis of our work!”

“The only winner from backroom deals is neoliberalism. The many losers are the climate, tax justice, the fight against inequality, democracy & the peoples of Europe,” Aubry concluded.