2009-05-07T11:33:37Z https://www.romaniaeuropeana.eu/Who-is-the-candidate-of-PES#comment6720 2009-05-07T11:33:37Z

<p>Of course it wants to, and the PES DOES represent a viable alternative for the next parliamentary legislature. The PES group and all socialist MEPs (including Martin Schulz who you cite) have explicitly said that the new president of the Commission will have to be chosen depending on electorate results (something on which the EPP also agrees). That being said, I agree that the lack of a visible candidate will harm the socialists in their campaign. The problem comes from some of the leaders who have accepted to support Barroso (or at least not oppose him too strongly) for private reasons. Zapatero, for instance, did it so that he would have Barroso's support for the inclusion of Spain in the G20. And most of them don't really believe in a future socialist majority, so they make ‘safe bets' rather than committing themselves fully to the campaign. The problem is that it also works the other way around : it's what we call a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even worse, they undermine the credibility of socialists that want and are fighting for another president of the Commission (and there are many).</p>