Selmayr signals the arrogance of Brussels
The Martin Selmayr affair, which reveals much about attitudes to power and accountability at the top of the EU, is both depressing and depressingly familiar. Few Britons, who voted so numerously to leave the bloc, will be surprised by a scathing report yesterday from EU Ombudsman Emily O’reilly. In it, she condemns the instant double promotion in February of Mr Selmayr from Jean-claude Juncker’s chief of staff to first deputy secretary-general of the European Commission, then – when the existing chief civil servant, Alexander Italianer, within minutes, conveniently announced he was retiring – to the top post itself, as breaking both “the spirit and the letter of the law”. But fewer people still will be surprised to learn that the damning conclusions of her investigation will nevertheless have no impact on Mr Selmayr’s role. The fix was in, Ms O’reilly’s report in essence concludes, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
This matters, not just because Mr Selmayr – known as “the monster” – was Mr Juncker’s
éminence grise and as a result of his arranged rise now runs the 32,000-strong EU civil service, making him one of the most powerful figures in Brussels. It is also important because it signals a growing arrogance at the European Commission, which Mr Juncker runs. It is an arrogance which sets it at odds with member states, who like to think they are in overall charge of the EU.
What the Selmayr affair really reveals, however, is just how little those at the commission care about accounting for their actions. If they want to do something, they will do it, the rule book be damned. This is the path not to greater democracy and wealth, which is what EU citizens have so long been promised, but to autocracy and impoverishment.
Since its inception, the EU has struggled to maintain any convincing impression that it is a democratic institution. Yet this is an era when even long-established parliaments – such as our own – are being held to account as never before. You would think that would give Brussels pause. You would think Ms O’reilly’s report would leave them red-faced and apologetic. Not a bit of it. Once again, Britons will be thanking their lucky stars today that they voted to leave.