"Müntefering told reporters that Barroso, backed by his party, the European People's Party, had done a competent job as head of the EU executive and had the support of some centre-left governments in Europe, including his native Portugal, neighbouring Spain and the UK."
And that:
"...there was little point in the European Socialists naming their own alternative candidate in an attempt to halt the incumbent's re-appointment."
This is a massive blow to Rasmussen, who still has some hopes that the PES can prevent a second Barroso term if they do well in the elections, since the SPD would be one of the (if not the) biggest national delegations to the PES group.
It's very disappointing that Muentefering (and apparently the SPD) can't see the "point" in running an alternative; presumably the basic need for a political choice for voters in the make-up of the next Commission is not sufficient for the SPD. And though Muentefering is right that the member state governments are mostly conservative-controlled, it shows a depressing continued attachment to the diplomacy of intergovernmentalism instead of a much-needed shift to more democratic politics.
And how does this play in the SPD's election campaign? They've been running a poster campaign for a while now claiming that financial sharks would vote FDP and those who want wage dumping would vote CDU - but who would the SPD vote for?
Sadly, it will probably be Barroso.
So the question is, what would "more SPD for Europe" actually do?
After this one could ask, who would vote for the German Social Democrats?
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