Reference: Order of succession
The German media says that António Campinos is the likely successor of Battistelli at the EPO. Campinos is believed to be French, for reasons we explained at the beginning of this month [1, 2].
"From our understanding (although we could never verify this), Jesper Kongstad is leaving next month because his government told him to. He's also leaving the DKPTO.""According to inside sources at the EPO," somebody told us, "there is currently only one valid application for the position of EPO President. This application reportedly comes from Senhor Campinos." (Or should that be Monsieur Campinos?)
Everyone refers to him as Portuguese, but he spent a lot of his life in France and most likely holds a French passport.
"The official job specification requires candidates to have nationality of at least one contracting state," we're told, "along with official confirmation of that state's support."
From the EPO's own site (epo.org link): "The complete application files of the candidates must be sent to the Council Secretariat to arrive by 14 September 2017 (date of receipt by the Secretariat). They must be submitted in one of the Organisation's official languages. They must include a curriculum vitae showing nationality of at least one contracting state, official confirmation of that state's support, and a letter of motivation."
So it helps to be well connected politically. From our understanding (although we could never verify this), Jesper Kongstad is leaving next month because his government told him to. He's also leaving the DKPTO. This might render him unemployed for a while -- something he's not quite accustomed to because he's somewhat of a workaholic, based on an interview from some years ago.
"From what is known," we've learned, "Campinos is the only candidate so far who has the support of a contracting state (which is assumed to be Portugal rather than France although the questions about his alleged dual nationality have never been clarified).
“...there is currently only one valid application for the position of EPO President. This application reportedly comes from Senhor Campinos.”
--Anonymous"It is rumoured that other candidates have applied but that they failed to secure the support of their state (possibly due to political interference by the pro-Campinos lobby whose main cheerleader is said to be none other than Battistelli himself). However no information about the identities of other applicants is available.
"The closing date is 14 September so there is still time for other candidates to apply."
"There are rumours that a group of states opposed to Battistelli may try to mount a last minute effort to push an alternative candidate but again there is no specific information about this or who the candidate might be.
“There are rumours that a group of states opposed to Battistelli may try to mount a last minute effort to push an alternative candidate but again there is no specific information about this or who the candidate might be.”
--Anonymous"It should become clear by the October meeting of the Administrative Council whether there is going to be a genuine open competition for the position or whether the succession has already been decided in advance by means of wheeling and dealing in smoke-filled backrooms."
This is so typical. Remember the story of Brimelow's departure and what she wrote amid her departure. Some speculated that Battistelli bullied her out to secure his very long and destructive tenure (after he had already served as Chairman of the Administrative Council).
If António Campinos does leave the EU-IPO in order to join the EPO, will that make a former EPO man, Christian Archambeau, potentially the new head of EU-IPO? Cross-pollination? Patricia García-Escudero Márquez is already there in the Management Board of EU-IPO while also serving as Battistelli's 'chinchilla' on the Boards of Appeal Committee. ⬆