Whether or not to agree with the emerging radical right forces: that is the dilemma facing the traditional parties in the next European legislature. The politics of alliances has monopolized the great debate of the candidates for the presidency of the Commission, organized by Eurovision in Brussels coinciding with the starting signal of the campaign for the 9-J elections. The great paradox is that in the debate there was no no representative of far-right parties.
The candidate of the European People’s Party (EPP) and great favorite to renew a second term as head of the community Executive, Ursula von der Leyenhas flatly excluded any type of collaboration with the ultras of Alternative for Germany or with the National Group of Marine Le Pen, despite his efforts to soften his image. “They are friends of Putin and want to destroy Europe. “We are not going to allow that to happen,” she alleged.
In contrast, Von der Leyen has not ruled out collaborating with the party of Giorgia Meloni, who leads the radical right group European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament. A group in which they are also active Vox or the Poles of Law and Justicewho during their time in the Government were the subject of a sanctioning file for putting the rule of law and judicial independence at risk.
[Las fuerzas de ultraderecha reconfiguran sus alianzas en la UE para ganar peso político]
The EPP candidate maintains that The Italian Prime Minister does respect the red lines in principle that she has set when collaborating with the different political forces in the European Parliament. “I have worked very well with Giorgia Meloni in the European Council, as I do with all heads of State and Government: it is my job as President of the Commission,” Von der Leyen said.
The German considers that Meloni is “clearly pro-European” and also meets the requirement of supporting Ukraine and being against Vladmir Putin. In her opinion, the Italian Prime Minister also respects her third red line, upholding the rule of law, and that is why it is possible to work with her. “Aren’t you worried about Meloni’s policies towards the LGBTI community?” the moderator asked. “I have a completely different approach,” she responded.
The candidate of the European Socialists for the presidency of the Commission, the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmithas reproached Von der Leyen for her willingness to work with Meloni and reminded her that the Italian prime minister participated last weekend in the summit of radical right forces organized by Vox in Madrid, along with Le Pen, Ley and Justice or the Hungarian Víktor Orbán.
“I wonder what it means to you to be pro-European. Because I heard Mrs. Meloni’s speech at that conference in Madrid and I can’t imagine that his idea of Europe is the same as yours,” Schmit snapped at Von der Leyen.
The candidates for the presidency of the Commission, during the debate this Thursday in Brussels
The argument of the president of the Commission is that need to build a sufficient majority in the European Parliament to “move Europe forward”. The European Parliament is “very different from others” because there is no strict party discipline and sufficient support must be guaranteed for the legislation to move forward, argues Von der Leyen. “I am willing to build a majority favorable to a strong Europe, because the center must resist,” the German said.
“It is important to establish very clear principles of who we want to work with. These members of Parliament must meet not one but three criteria: pro-Europe, pro-Ukraine and therefore anti-Putin, and pro-rule of law. If we look for example at National Reunification, Alternative for Germany or Confederation in Poland, they may all have different principles, but they have one thing in common. They are friends of Putin and want to destroy our Europe,” says Von der Leyen.
The rest of the candidates present in the debate – the Italian Sandro Gozi, from the liberal group Renew, promoted by Emmanuel Macron; the german Terry Reintke, of the Greens; and the Austrian Walter Baierof the Left – have rejected any type of collaboration with the extreme right.
However, the candidate from Macron’s party has had his contradictions spoiled by the rest of the candidates due to what happened in the Netherlands, where Mark Rutte’s VVD liberals have agreed to enter the coalition government led by the PVV of ultra Geert Wilders. “For me it is a big mistake, I would never do it,” Gozo replied. The head of Renew’s list in France, Valerie Hayerhas asked that Rutte’s party not be admitted to the Renew group in the next legislature.
Ursula von der Leyen greets the audience at the candidates’ debate held this Thursday in Brussels
No representative of the group participated in the debate, which was held on a large set built at the European Parliament headquarters in Brussels. Identity and Democracy (Le Pen’s) nor the European Conservatives and Reformists (Meloni’s). The moderator explained that this is because these groups question the very principle that the political groups of the European Parliament should nominate candidates for the presidency of the Commission (Spitzenkandidatin Brussels slang).
The Treaty establishes that it is the European leaders who must propose the candidate for the presidency of the Commission, taking into account the results of the elections. The candidate proposed by the heads of state and government must then be elected (that is, ratified) by the plenary session of the European Parliament. Von der Leyen was proposed in 2019 by European leaders, although she had not done any campaigning, and she achieved confirmation in Parliament by a narrow margin of 9 votes.
In the 9-J elections what is at stake is If the great centrist coalition resists (popular, socialist and liberal, with the occasional participation of the Greens) that has guaranteed stability in Europe in the last legislature. The alternative It is an electoral shift towards a new alliance of traditional and radical liberals and right-wing parties; O well an ungovernable Europe due to the explosion of far-right, Eurosceptic and populist forces.
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