He is not yet one of the well-known faces in Germany: Nicolas Schmit. The European Social Democrats chose the Luxembourger as their top candidate. In June he is scheduled to face EPP competitor von der Leyen.
The European Social Democrats (PES) have chosen Nicolas Schmit as the top candidate for the upcoming European elections. Delegates to a party congress in Rome elected the current EU Commissioner for Employment and Social Rights with wide approval. The Social Democratic Party of Europe (PES) wants to take over the leadership of the EU Commission with the Luxembourger and aims to replace Commission boss Ursula von der Leyen (European People's Party EPP).
Schmit described it as one of his most important goals to defend European values and fight against the shift to the right in Europe. He said at the party congress that he wanted respect and not hate. “The best answer to the far right is our vision and our project for Europe, so that every citizen and every child can have a better life.”
PhD Economist
The 70-year-old emphasized the importance of a European security and defense policy. “We as Europeans have to take our things into our own hands.” The SPD's top candidate Katarina Barley described Schmit as the candidate who best suits the Social Democrats. “He is a trained diplomat and someone who is absolutely sure-footed on the international stage,” said Barley.
Schmit has been EU Commissioner since 2019. Previously, he was Minister of Labor in the Luxembourg government for several years. Schmit studied in France and received his doctorate in economics there.
With the nomination of the top candidate, the party family launched its campaign for the European elections at the Rome Congress and decided on its election program. Compared to the 2019 European elections, surveys predict that the Social Democrats will hardly make any gains this year and rather lose. The EPP is ahead. The election date is June 9th.
