“We will form majorities with those who are betting on hope. Not with those who want to destroy, but with those who want to build a vision of Europe with which we can work. I’m quite optimistic. Contrary to what was feared during the election campaign and in the weeks following 9-J, this week we will see that the centre has indeed resisted,” the Maltese proclaimed. Roberta Metsola just after being re-elected President of the European Parliament.
The first sign that the centre is holding on despite the rise of the far right on 9-J was evident in the election of the 14 vice-presidents of the European Parliament, who together with the presidency form the governing body of the chamber. A list which includes two Spanish MEPs: the popular Esteban Gonzalez Pons (59 years old), who has obtained 478 votes; and the socialist Javi Lopez (38 years old), who received 377 votes.
The ‘grand coalition’ of the Popular Party, the Socialists and the Liberals has reached an agreement to apply a cordon sanitaire to two of the three radical right-wing and Eurosceptic groups which have been formed in this tenth legislature: the Patriots for Europe of Viktor Orbán and Vox and the Europe of Sovereign Nations of Alternative for Germany. An agreement that translates into the exclusion of these factions from the distribution of vice-presidencies and other positions of power in the European Parliament.
[La Eurocámara reelige a la maltesa Roberta Metsola como presidenta por mayoría aplastante]
The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) – the other radical right-wing group in the European Parliament (78 seats), led by the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni– they narrowly escaped the cordon sanitaire. However, the ‘grand coalition’ made them suffer until the end. In the first round of voting, only the candidates of the Popular Party, the Socialists, the Liberals and the Greens were elected. Both the candidate nominated by the Brothers of Italy, Antonella Sbernalike Latvian Roberts Zile had to wait until the second round to be confirmed as vice presidents.
This arrangement opens the door for at least a part of the European Conservatives and Reformists to support Ursula von der Leyen to repeat as head of the Commission in the decisive vote on Thursday. The German met behind closed doors with the ECR group on Tuesday in search of votes. The Poles of Law and Justice (20 seats) have already announced that they will vote against, while Meloni’s Brothers of Italy (24) have not yet shown their cards.
Ursula von der Leyen met with the European Conservatives and Reformists group in Strasbourg on Tuesday in search of votes
The main victim of the cordon sanitaire is the Patriots for Europe group, founded by the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbanand in which the National Group of Marine Le Penthe League of Matteo Salvini or Vox. With 84 seats, the Patriots for Europe are the third largest group in Parliament and would be entitled to two vice-presidents according to the proportional distribution.
However, the ‘grand coalition’ has defeated the two candidates it had presented: the French Fabrice Leggeriwho was director of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) between 2015 and 2022, but moved to the National Grouping after being forced to resign due to a highly critical report by the anti-fraud office Olaf; and the Czech Klára Dostalovafrom the Alliance of Dissatisfied Citizens (ANO), which was in the liberal group in the last legislature.
“The European Parliament no longer wants to represent all EU citizens: has left out 18 million voters who were calling for change in Europe “by not electing any vice-president nominated by Patriots for Europe. This is a violation of parliamentary customs and the common constitutional heritage of the Member States, as well as a lack of respect for the rule of law and democracy,” Orbán’s European Affairs Minister has protested, Boka Janos.
In addition to excluding his group from positions of power, the European Parliament is expected to approve this Wednesday a resolution in support of Ukraine in which “condemns Viktor Orbán’s recent visit to the Russian Federation“and accuses it of “flagrant violation of the EU Treaties and the common foreign policy, including the principle of sincere cooperation.” “The Hungarian Prime Minister cannot pretend to represent the EU when he is violating European positions, a violation that must have consequences for Hungary,” the resolution says.
The ‘grand coalition’ has also rejected the vice-presidential candidate proposed by the Europe of Sovereign Nations group, Ewa Zajaczkowska-Henrikfrom the Polish far-right Confederation party. Led by Alternative for Germany, this group is the smallest of the three radical right-wing parties, with only 25 MEPs.
Vox is left without positions of power
The cordon sanitaire to the Patriots for Europe and to the Europe of Sovereign Nations It will also extend to the distribution of presidencies and vice-presidencies of the 24 committees into which the work of the European Parliament is organised.
In the last legislature, Vox – which was a member of Meloni’s European Conservatives and Reformists – obtained the vice-presidency of the Agriculture Committee, which it held throughout the legislature. Mazaly Aguilarexcluded from the lists. In addition, Hermann Tertsch He was vice president of the delegation in the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly (DLAT). He will now be left without any position of power in Parliament, as he has left Meloni’s group and joined Orbán’s Patriots.
Former Vox MEP Mazaly Aguilar was vice-president of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee last term
The result of this cordon sanitaire is that, despite its strong advance in the elections of 9-J, the influence of the far right in the functioning of the European Parliament will continue to be very limited.
The other vice-presidents elected are the popular Sabine Verheyen and Ewa Kopacz; the socialists Katarina Barley, Pina Picierno and Victor Negrescu and Christel Schaldemose; the liberals Martin Hojsik and Sophie Wilmès; the green Nicolae Stefanuta and Younous Omarjee, from the radical left group.
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