Тhe President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said he did not insist on the creation of a “European superstate”. His speech was directed at Britain’s Foreign Minister Boris Johnson.
The comment came in response to Johnson, who said in London that Britain can continue to comply with some EU rules after Breczit, but is committed to leaving the Union whose laws aim to “create a comprehensive European state”.
“British politicians – both Labourists and Tories – have always found this ambition to be very difficult,” Johnson said. “It is difficult to get convergence after centuries of one’s own traditions of independent parliamentary and legal systems”, he added.
Asked about British Foreign Minister’s remarks, Juncker, who at the same time held a press conference in Brussels, answered:
“Some people in the British political society are against the truth and claim that I am a stupid and stubborn federalist and that I am for a European superstate”, “I am strictly against the European superstate. We are not the United States of America, we are the European Union, which is a rich body, because we have these 27 or 28 countries.
“The European Union cannot be built against the will of European peoples, so this is total nonsense”, Juncker completed.
Juncker’s image as a power figure is fuelled by the fact that he is the longest government leader in the European Union (18 years of governing). He was Luxembourg Prime Minister from 20 January 1995 to 4 December 2013.
Juncker also said that, as one of the long-term prospects for the future of the community, is the possibility for direct election of the Presidents of the EC and the EU Council by the European citizens. He also commented on the fact that, unfortunately, citizens in the community are not interested in the development of the European institutions.
The issue is important in regard to the election of Juncker’s successor and the current composition of the EC. On 5 July 2014 the European Parliament elected Juncker with secret ballot to the post of President of the European Commission and he took office in November of the same year. The Juncker Commission’s mandate expires in autumn 2019.
Juncker has already called for a faster nomination of candidates in order to have meaningful debates between them. The European Council nominates a candidate for President of the Commission, who needs to be approved by a majority of the Members of the European Parliament. If European lawmakers reject his/her candidacy, the Council has one month to propose a new one.
