Katainen focuses on European commissioner role

Finland’s former prime minister had been previously named as a contender for some of the EU’s top jobs, but now has his eye on an economic post in the next European Commission.

Jyrki Katainen, Finland’s former prime minister who yesterday (17 July) officially took over from Olli Rehn as the country’s European commissioner, has said that he is not expecting to get any of the European Union top jobs and is instead focusing entirely on a post in the next college.

“I don’t think it’s very likely that I’d be in the running for one of those posts. My name has been mentioned in connection with them before but now I’m focused on getting some interesting post here at the commission,” he said in an interview with Finnish broadcaster Yleisradio.

Katainen, who is a member of the centre-right National Coalition Party, announced his intention to resign as prime minister in April to seek one of the EU heavyweight posts such as president of the European Council or, as a former finance minister, president of the Eurogroup.

Before the special Council meeting last Tuesday (15 July) where EU leaders failed to make any decisions on the division of the top jobs, it seemed plausible that the European Socialists (PES) could claim the posts of high representative and President of the European Council following the appointment of centre-right politician Juncker as President of the European Commission. However, there has been increasing complaints against giving both jobs to the PES, making it likely that Herman Van Rompuy’s successor could be a consensus candidate from any of the parties.

Katainen, who is responsible for economic and monetary affairs and the Euro until the end of the Barroso cabinet in October, has now expressed his preference for a Commission portfolio “focused on the economy”. But he is not the only contender for this position as Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister and current president of the Eurogroup, and Pierre Moscovici, France’s former finance minister, are rumoured to be in the running too.

Rehn was elected in May as a member of the European Parliament on behalf of the Centre Party, affiliated with the liberal ALDE group in the Parliament. Alexander Stubb, the country’s former minister for European affairs and foreign trade, took over as the country’s Prime Minister in June.