European Union leaders this week nominated the German defence minister as a surprise candidate to become European Commission president. But German Chancellor Angela Merkel abstained from the decision because her Socialist Democratic party coalition allies opposed Ms von der Leyen nomination. Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer, the leader of Ms Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, has urged the SPD to “rethink” their objection.
“If the German Social Democrats really stick to their destructive attitude towards Ursula von der Leyen’s candidacy, this would be a burden for the coalition,” Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer said.
“And above all, it would potentially risk a constitutional crisis in Europe,” she added.
“This would run against everything the Social Democrats as a European party have stood for in Germany in the past.
“That is why I very much hope that the reasonable forces in the SPD will prevail in the coming days.”
Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer has thrown her weight behind Ms von der Leyen, insisting she would make a “strong” Commission president.
“It’s a fact that with Ursula von der Leyen, we would have an excellent representative,” she said.
The praise comes despite her preferred candidate, German MEP Manfred Weber, being overly rejected for the top Brussels job.
Mr Weber claimed some in Parliament “have a fair share in the damage done” to the bloc by blocking his candidacy.
He added: “There were backroom talks and late-night session in which the Macron and Orban axis prevailed and the Spitzenkandidat system was dismantled.
“This is not the Europe I want and I will continue to fight for the democratisation of the EU.
“The fact that Social Democrats and Liberals ruled out the election of a democratic competitor, who was even the candidate of the strongest political force, called into question the basic consensus between us.”
Donald Tusk yesterday urged another dissenting group, the European Greens, to strike a deal with the EU’s new leadership to ensure the next Commission president receives their support.
The outgoing European Council president told MEPs he has asked EU leaders and Ms von der Leyen to include Greens in the political negotiations over the next Commission.
He said: “I am fully confident that co-operation with Greens will benefit the governing coalition but also Europe as a whole. I will appeal to my partners to involve the Greens in the negotiations.”
Philippe Lamberts, the co-chair of the Greens in the Parliament, warned his group would use their numbers “as leverage to get a fairer, more sustainable, democratic Europe”.