Midday brief, in brief

Today at Commission, ‘elections are good’

Questions on votes in Turkey, Britain and France dominate the first post-Easter briefing.

Things got political very quickly at the Commission’s first midday briefing after the Easter break.

Between the Turkish referendum, the imminent French presidential election and the British prime minister unexpectedly calling a snap election, the Commission’s chief spokesperson Margaritis Schinas tried to strike a balance between the traditional neutrality of EU institutions on national polls and a willingness to send some political messages.

Brussels to Erdoğan: Move closer

First questions were on the Turkish referendum on constitutional reforms. Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and High-Representative Federica Mogherini said on Sunday night they were waiting for an assessment from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on “alleged irregularities” noted by international observers.

The OSCE duly declared on Monday there had been a “significant imbalance” in the referendum campaign in favor of constitutional changes that will give President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sweeping new powers.

“We have taken note and examined attentively the statement,” Schinas said.

Schinas said Mogherini talked to the observers’ mission on Tuesday and called for a transparent investigation into the matter. Neither Juncker not European Council President Donald Tusk have talked to Erdoğan since Sunday night, according to the Commission.

“As far as the future is concerned, as President Juncker had said in the past, we encourage Turkey to move closer to the European Union again and not to move even further and faster away from us,” Schinas added.

On the post-referendum EU-Turkey relationship, Schinas reiterated the EU will continue to work with Ankara on their joint migration deal but Turkey needs to work on seven criteria for the European Commission to propose visa-free travel for Turkish visitors to the EU.

Schinas also argued Erdoğan’s push to restore the death penalty after the failed coup of July 2016 was still “the reddest of all red lines” for the European Union if Turkey “does want to be a member of EU family.” In other words, as soon as the Turkish government moves to restore capital punishment, accession talks may be gone for good.

May crashes the briefing

Just a couple of minutes after Schinas arrived at the podium, Theresa May announced she was calling a snap election on June 8 in order to boost the U.K.’s position before tough Brexit talks.

“We have the habit in the spokesperson service that we never comment on events happening after we have taken the podium,” said Schinas.

“There are elections everywhere, that’s quite natural. Elections are good. We are in favor, in general,” Schinas added in response to follow-up questions.

French impact

Last but not least, Schinas was also grilled on the upcoming French elections and whether the Commission was worried by the strong poll numbers of Euroskeptics Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the impact on the EU if they won the presidency.

“It is time for the French people to express itself. It is not up to us, the Commission or Brussels. France is a central pillar of the European Union, a founding member, a nation not only at the origin, but also which embodies the values of Europe today,” Schinas answered. “It is the only comment I have to make at the start of this important week.”

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