GERMAN social democrat MEP Martin Schulz, one of the most bombastic figures in European politics, appears unassailable in his bid to become president of the European Parliament when MEPs vote this morning on the leadership of the assembly.
For eight years the leader of Socialist MEPs, Mr Schulz was a scourge of Charlie McCreevy during his time in as EU commissioner and clashed in barbed terms with then Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Mr Schulz has promised to strengthen the Parliament’s voice.
In European circles his ascent to the top seat is seen as a virtual certainty.
However, he faces two rivals: British Tory MEP Nirj Deva, candidate of the small Conservatives and Reformists group; and British liberal Diana Wallis, who is standing as an independent.
The election is by a secret ballot. The presidency, currently held by former Polish prime minister Jerzy Buzek of the centre-right European People’s Party, is for 30 months.
Mr Schulz’s hand is greatly strengthened by the fact the EPP is contesting the election even though it remains dominant in the Parliament.
The presidency often, but not always, rotates between the EPP and the Socialists, the two biggest groups in the Parliament.
Mr Schulz was unknown outside Germany before he raised Mr Berlusconi’s ire during a foul-tempered hearing to mark Italy’s presidency of the EU in 2003.
He took the opportunity to question the Italian leader’s use of an immunity to sidestep bribery and met with a angry barb from Mr Berlusconi.
“Mr Schulz, I know there is a producer in Italy who is making a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of commandant. You’d be perfect.”
The exchange said more about Mr Berlusconi than Mr Schulz but he is himself fond of the pointed remark.
“I met him. I didn’t understand one word of what he said,” he once said in reference to Mr McCreevy’s accent.
When Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty, he called for Mr McCreevy to be removed from the Commission in the light of his acknowledgement he had not read the text.
“This man goes to Ireland and says he has not read the treaty and tells people there is no need to read it,” Mr Schulz said then. “Is that a way of instilling confidence?”
Mr Schulz has played a powerful role behind the scenes in the upper echelon of European politics and was one of those involved in the machinations that led to the appointment of Herman Van Rompuy as European Council president and Catherine Ashton as foreign policy chief.
Last year, however, he described the cacophony of European voices on the Arab Spring as being akin to Statler and Waldorf in the Muppet Show.
“They comment on everything but as to whether they are taken seriously is a question to be asked.”
His remarks on the financial crisis are in a similar style.
