Most German words that find their way into the English language — from “blitzkrieg” to “weltschmerz” — tend to have negative connotations. With European elections looming, the latest term to be adopted by Brits is “spitzenkandidat,” usually accompanied by raised eyebrows and an expression of unmistakable distaste. “We don’t like the ‘spitzenkandidat’ at all,” said an adviser to British Prime Minister David Cameron recently.
He was referring to the president of the EU Parliament, Martin Schulz, who was elected by the Party of European Socialists as its top candidate in Rome last week. The center-right European People’s Party, meanwhile, is set to vote on its own “spitzenkandidat” for the May elections on Friday. Luxembourg’s former prime minister, Jean-Claude Juncker, is widely believed to be the favorite, especially since he has the backing of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
