Jean-Claude Juncker was born in 1954 in the Duchy of Luxembourg, one of the smallest European states. Junker himself felt the consequences of the war, since during World War II his father was forced to join the German army.
Where did he get his education?
During his youth, Junker studied in three different countries. He received his primary education in Belvo (Luxembourg), he attended high school in the Belgian Clerfontaine, but in the end he returned to his homeland and passed the exams for the certificate in Luxembourg. In 1975, he entered the law department of the University of Strasbourg in France. On schedule, in 1979, the future chairman of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, received a diploma. This proves that he was a very smart guy who, in addition to everything else, also spoke in at least five different languages.
What did he do after 1979?
It was a very long time ago, but even then Mr. Junker showed a penchant for politics. Instead of going to work in a law firm, he offered his knowledge of the Christian Social People’s Party (CSNP) and in 1982, at the age of 28, received the position of Secretary of State for Labor and Social Security. Obviously, even then, Junker showed himself to be a hardworking politician, so two years later he was appointed to the post of Minister of Labor. In 1989, Juncker assumed the duties of Minister of Finance, and he liked it so much that he retained this post until 2009. In January 1995, Jean-Claude Juncker became Prime Minister of Luxembourg. He held this position until December 2013, for almost 19 years, during which he won successively in three general elections and was the head of four coalitions (with liberals or socialists, depending on the situation). From this we can conclude that he coped well with his duties.
Did he have mistakes?
Of course, sometimes he also became a defendant in scandals, and as a result of one of them he even lost his prime minister's seat. This happened after information leaked to the press about the illegal wiretapping of representatives of the local establishment organized by the Luxembourg secret services (there are, it turns out, some). The secret services transmitted the information to Junker, but they turned out to be so arrogant that they listened to him as well. This did not stop him from running for re-election; as a result, he received more votes than anyone else. However, this time the prime minister failed to reach an agreement with the socialists and liberals, who made a deal between him behind his back.
What did he do for Europe?
We already know that Junker is a rather hardworking person. When it comes to Europe, he works with a vengeance and seems ready to throw all his energy into defending his beliefs. The fact that he simultaneously held the posts of Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, made him an expert on all matters happening in Brussels, and therefore in the European Council and at meetings of the Council of Ministers of Economics. During his 25 years as Minister and Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Juncker survived the signing of four fundamental agreements, one draft constitution (rejected), a technological bubble, several world crises and many European crises, the accession of sixteen new states to the European Union, the birth of a single currency. And to all this he had his hand.
Economy
Junker earned a lot of praise for his work on the Council of Ministers of Finance and Economics of the European Union (ECOFIN). He was one of the founders of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU, the forerunner of the euro), as well as the Stability and Growth Pact. For eight years, Junker was the head of the Eurogroup, a meeting of European finance ministers. In December 1996, at a meeting of the European Council in Dublin, he was the key mediator in all matters relating to the implementation in the coming years of the Stability and Growth Pact (GSP), created by the German Minister of Finance Theo Weigel. In fact, it is a list of all the pros and cons for states wishing to join the eurozone. It was assumed that compliance with all requirements would be monitored by a special commission, but several years later it turned out that this process is becoming more and more similar to the case where a blind person supervises other blind people.
In January 2013, Junker handed over his post to the Dutch Minister of Finance Jeroen Deisselblum (they say that the moist Brussels air was then filled with sad sounds of a guitar and voices singing about leaving friends who take away a particle of your soul).
Policy
As a member of the Council of Ministers of Finance (ECOFIN), Jean-Claude Juncker first gained fame as a global politician when he led the preparation of the Maastricht Treaty. It was officially called the “Treaty on the European Union” and was approved at a meeting of the Council of Europe in Maastricht in December 1991, signed in February 1992 and entered into force on November 1, 1993.
Later, he continued to move in this direction, working on the Amsterdam Treaty (a logical continuation of the Maastricht Treaty) and at the same time engaging in the Luxembourg process, the purpose of which was to supplement existing practices and financial agreements with social integration schemes with a focus on job creation.
What was his role during the crisis?
Throughout this economic drama, Junker played the role of the "good guy." As chairman of the Eurogroup, he was one of the key figures in the development of assistance programs and financial funds used to stabilize the euro. This was usually done through the so-called Frankfurt group - an informal meeting of financial officials and, according to some, a real shadow body of power in the EU.
While working in this group, Junker stayed away from adherents of the most rigorous and dogmatic views, actively collaborated with those who advocated a combination of rigor and stimulation of growth, and also worried about the widening gap between the economies of the northern and southern countries.
That is why in December 2010, together with the Italian Minister of Finance Giulio Tremonti, on behalf of the heads of the 27 states that were EU members at that time, he put forward a proposal to grant the European Debt Agency the right to issue bonds (famous Eurobonds). The agency must assume the responsibilities of the European Financial Stability Facility - a mechanism created to help states out in crisis situations and fully dependent on voluntary contributions from the governments of the participating countries.
Who appointed him?
Jean-Claude Juncker was chosen by the people. All major European parties put forward their candidates for election to the European Parliament, and Jean-Claude Juncker led the list of the People’s Party.
To say that Junker never shies away from work will be a very big understatement. Immediately after the election, the new chairman delivered a speech on the intended goals. He simultaneously demonstrated his oratory skills and acknowledged previous mistakes by comparing measures taken in Europe during the crisis with “repairing a burning airplane right in the air”. Simply put, Jean-Claude Juncker said that the crash was eventually avoided, but the dangerous line was very close and some things simply could not be done better. He further emphasized that the success of future European politics largely depends on restoring citizens' trust and overcoming the problems faced by European society and economy.
Will he cope with the tasks?
Guessing here is useless, so just consider the qualities of Junker as a politician. He faces a difficult task, which requires firm determination and iron will. Junker has already proven that he has these qualities that complement his commitment to European federalism.
If Juncker needs help, he can always get it from his like-minded and party associates who will help find solutions to the many accumulated problems. This is especially true of the social sphere, where the EU needs to make significant progress in the near future.
Most likely, the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, is precisely the person who can achieve the maximum result, but his path will certainly not be strewn with roses.