Overview

The EU's pluralistic, nonhierarchical system of multilevel governance lacks clear structures of both government and opposition. According to the EU treaties, the presidency of the European Commission is thus not explicitly expected to exercise political leadership. However, the position cannot effectively be exercised without any demonstration of such leadership due to its many leadership functions. Examining this curious mix of strong political demands, weak institutional powers, and need for political leadership, this book systematically analyses the political leadership performance of the presidents of the European Commission throughout the process of European integration. The basic argument is that Commission presidents matter not only in the process of European integration, but that their impact varies according to how the different incumbents deal with the institutional structure and the situational circumstances, and thus their available strategic choices. The primary research question is thus, What makes political leadership in European governance successful and to what extent (and why) do Commission presidents differ in their leadership performance? In addressing this question, this book departs from existing research on EU leadership, which has to date often analysed either the EU's institutional structure and its potential for leadership or mainly focused on only the most recent incumbents in case study analyses. Focusing on the multiterm European Commission presidents Walter Hallstein, Jacques Delors, and José Manuel Barroso, this book conceptualizes their political leadership as a performance, and thus systematically analyzes their agenda-setting, mediative-institutional, and public outreach performance over the entire course of their presidential terms.

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9780198842002

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This excellent book addresses the important but under-researched topic of the political leadership of European Commission Presidents. Resting on a systematic and comparative analysis and based on a convincing and clearly explained analytical framework, Muller seeks to unpack what really determines the (successful) leadership performance of Commission Presidents. * Michelle Cini, Professor of European Politics, University of Bristol * This is an excellent and timely book. The scholarship is first-rate; the subject matter highly topical; and the writing refreshingly crisp. The author has mastered a wealth of material on political leadership in general and EU leadership in particular, and strikes a fine balance between theory and practice. Political Leadership and the European Commission Presidency should be essential reading for scholars and students of EU governance, especially at this crucial stage of the EU's development. * Desmond Dinan, Professor of Public Policy and Jean Monnet Professor Ad Personam, George Mason University * This path-breaking book examines the political leadership of European Commission presidents. Despite intrinsic weaknesses in the office, Muller shows convincingly how and when various presidents are more or less effective in their leadership, examining their personal dispositions, the institutional structure and the specific circumstances in which these presidents serve their term. This study will prove to be the leading go-to work on political leadership of Commission presidents. * Amy Verdun, Professor of European Politics and Political Economy, Leiden University, and Jean Monnet Chair Ad Personam, University of Victoria *

Author Information

Henriette Müller (New York University Abu Dhabi, UAE) is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies at New York University Abu Dhabi. Her research encompasses the comparative study of political leadership and executive politics both at the national and international level. At NYUAD, Müller teaches and conducts research on women and leadership with an emphasis on the European Union and the Arab Gulf region, as well as pursues comparative studies on the influence of political leadership on national economic growth across diverse regions and countries. Her research has appeared in journals such as Politics & Governance, Journal of European Integration and West European Politics.

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