Brussels, 09/03/2016 (Agence Europe) - Contrary to what was suggested in a press release of the European Conservatives and Reformists group (ECR) of the European Parliament, which was published on Tuesday 8 March, there is no majority within the political group to expel two German MEPs of the party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), Marcus Pretzell and Beatrix von Storch.
“As it failed to secure a majority, the bureau of the ECR parliamentary group withdrew a motion to exclude the AfD delegation. The ECR group did not vote. The status quo has been maintained”, von Storch stated in a press release. She added that “as it did not gain the support of the majority of members, (the motion to exclude them) was withdrawn by the bureau itself, in order to avoid losing face. It did, however, invite both members of AfD to leave the parliamentary group of their own volition, by the back door, by the end of March”.
“They have simply read too much into it”, said a source close to the two AfD members on Wednesday 9 March, criticising it as an “an attempt to expel the winning party” in the regional elections in Germany of Sunday 13 March by five German MEPs of the ECR group from the party Allianz für Fortschritt und Aufbruch (AfFA). According to this source, the President of the ECR group, British member Syed Kamall, was forced to acknowledge on Tuesday that there was no majority to expel the two AfD members.
According to the press release issued by the Conservatives and Reformists, the bureau of the group has invited the AfD members to leave the ECR by 31 March, otherwise a motion would be tabled to expel them at its next meeting on 12 April. Pretzell and von Storch are accused of making racist comments about refugees arriving in Germany, of having attended an event of the Austrian Freedom party and criticised over their position with regard to Russia and the actions of President Putin.
On Wednesday 9 March, Udo Bullmann (S&D, Germany) welcomed the call by the ECR party in favour of expelling Pretzell and von Storch. “To say the police should be able to shoot refugees is vile, dehumanising and reminiscent of the darkest times in Europe and Germany's past”, he stated in a press release. He urged the ECR group to keep an eye on statements made by members belonging to the Danish People's Party and the True Finns. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)