noun a German term meaning 'lead candidate' in an election
In European politics, a Spitzenkandidat is the leading candidate of a political party for the position of President of the European Commission.
The selection of a Spitzenkandidat can have significant implications for the composition and policies of the European Commission.
Spitzenkandidat is most relevant during European Parliament elections, where each political group presents their candidate for the Commission presidency.
The concept of Spitzenkandidat is specific to the European Union, where it refers to the candidate nominated by each political group in the European Parliament for the Commission presidency.
In the field of journalism, a spitzenkandidat may be the leading candidate in an election or the main figure in a political party.
Political analysts may use the term spitzenkandidat to refer to the top candidate nominated by a party for an election.
In the context of the European Union, a spitzenkandidat is the candidate chosen by a political party to lead their campaign for the presidency of the European Commission.