'This time it’s different': the European lead candidate procedure of 2014 and its historical background

• Hilde Reiding ^[1] ; Fons Meijer ^[1]
  1. [1] Radboud University Nijmegen

     Radboud University Nijmegen

     Países Bajos

     
• Localización: Parliaments, estates & representation = Parlements, états & représentation, ISSN-e 1947-248X, ISSN 0260-6755, Vol. 39, Nº. 1, 2019, págs. 64-79
• Idioma: inglés
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen

  • The 2014 elections for the European Parliament (EP) witnessed a novel procedure: the lead candidate (or Spitzenkandidaten) procedure, which was to (and did in fact) link the polling results to the nomination of the new European Commission President. This article investigates the procedure’s historical background from a long-term parliamentary perspective. It points out that there were three factors or developments that explain its introduction: the EP’s assertive political culture, increasing attention for the EP’s representative function and the support of prominent political actors who were able to make a difference.