The day after the unsuccessful attempt by MEPs from the Five Star Movement (M5S) to join the European Parliament's ALDE Group, and facing numerous warnings from the S&D candidate for the European Parliament presidency, Gianni Pittella from Italy (according to whom the Grand Coalition between the EPP and S&D Groups no longer exists), the head of the European Parliament's EPP Group, Manfred Weber from Germany, tried to re-establish calm on Tuesday 10 January, calling on all pro-European forces to come to their senses.
At a press conference, Weber underlined the agreement that the EPP and S&D Groups had signed at the start of the legislature, backed by the ALDE Group. This agreement says that the two main political parties should share the European Parliament's presidency. It was signed by Weber and Martin Schulz on 24 June 2014 and states that the S&D should hand over the Parliament's presidency to the EPP for the second half of its legislature (2017-2019). With this agreement sealed, it is makes sense, Weber said, for the Parliament's presidency to be held by the EPP candidate – in this case, Antonio Tajani from Italy.
Weber, whose group cannot impose its candidate, states that it is also a question of reminding his counterparts from the S&D and ALDE Groups that, without these partnerships between pro-European formations, no progress can be made on counter-terrorism measures, action for immigration or jobs, or the investment plan, for example. There are also upcoming issues that will not be settled without this coalition – for example, the review of the Parliament's rules of procedure. "So I am a little surprised" by Pitella's words, Weber added.
"At the time [of the agreement], we agreed that without collaboration between the pro-European forces the radical forces would carry influence", Weber said – hence the idea of sealing this pact in order to reduce the radical forces' ability to damage. The agreement is furthermore "very clear and leaves no doubt", Weber stated, underling the fact that his party had never sought to forge unnatural alliances (see EUROPE 11699), as would have been the case with the ALDE Group and M5S, or as could be the case, in his view, between the S&D and GUE/NGL Groups.
Weber also ruled out the possibility of the EPP presenting another candidate for the Parliament's presidency next Tuesday if Tajani failed to rally forces around him. Adopted at the end of December, the Corbett report introduces the possibility for the first time for political groups to present new candidates during the election (see EUROPE 11688). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)