Martin Selmayr originally had not wanted to become secretary-general of the European Commission, his predecessor revealed on Monday (27 January).
“He actually did not want to become secretary-general,” said Alexander Italianer, who filled the same post from September 2015 to March 2018.
He was replaced by Selmayr in a lightning-fast ‘backroom’ procedure – which was heavily criticised by both the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman.
Until becoming secretary-general (the highest civil servant in the commission) Selmayr had been head of cabinet and chief of staff to commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Prior to that he was Juncker’s campaign manager.
Selmayr was appointed deputy secretary-general in February 2018 and then within minutes was elevated to the post of secretary-general.
But this was not his idea, stressed Italianer at an event at the The Hague University of Applied Sciences.
According to Italianer, Selmayr thought Juncker would expect him to have two hats: continuing to play “his old part” as a political aide, as well as the role of secretary-general – which is supposed to be a more politically neutral position.
