spitzenkandidat

Spitzenkandidat, literally "top candidate" in German, is a term used in European politics to denote the lead candidate of a political party or group in elections to the European Parliament who is expected to become the President of the European Commission if his or her group wins the largest share of seats and gains sufficient support from the Council. The concept is informal and originated in European party politics, gaining prominence in the 2010s.

The practice involves European political parties designating a Spitzenkandidat to present themselves as the candidate for the Commission presidency. In 2014, Jean-Claude Juncker, the Spitzenkandidat of the European People’s Party, was chosen to be Commission President after the election, an outcome widely viewed as the practical effect of the Spitzenkandidaten approach. The 2019 cycle saw several parties nominate Spitzenkandidaten, but the final appointment of the Commission President did not automatically follow the election result; Ursula von der Leyen was proposed by the European Council and approved by the European Parliament.

The Spitzenkandidat mechanism aims to strengthen the link between European Parliament elections and the selection of the Commission President, making the process more transparent to voters. It is not a legally binding procedure, and its use depends on political circumstances, interinstitutional negotiations, and treaty constraints. The concept remains debated within the EU, with views often depending on national and party contexts.