The GUE/NGL is creating a certain amount of suspense about its support for the Italian social democrat, Gianni Pittella, during fourth round of the European Parliament presidential election.
During a questions and answers session with journalists on Thursday morning 12 January, the President of the group, Gabi Zimmer, candidate for the Presidency, Italian feminist, Eleonora Forenza, and candidate for the Vice Presidency, Dimitrios Papadimoulis, from Greece, expressed their reservations and indeed their hostility to the candidate from the S&D group.
Obviously, the wish expressed by Mr Pittella to break with the “grand coalition” was welcomed by Ms Zimmer. She explained that the grand coalition was “an offence to democracy” and above all, “a failure”, whose most blatant expression involved the departure of the Palrliament's current President, Martin Schulz.
Nonetheless, the S&D candidate will have to prove his credentials and provide some reassurances, she added. In response to questions from EUROPE regarding these reassurances, the German MEP mentioned support for certain amendments, as was the case with the report on the European basis for social rights put forward by Portuguese social democrat Maria João Rodrigues (see EUROPE 11686), which is expected to be examined during next week’s plenary session.
Eleonora Forenza had some harsh words for the Italian candidate. She believes that the S&D has been “the best ally” of the EPP. Support from their group is therefore far from being a done deal. The Italian candidate also criticised Mr Pittella for having supported the draft constitutional reform introduced by former Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, which was thrown out last December (see EUROPE 11682).
During a press conference on the same day, the new President of the European Left Party (PGE), Gregor Gysi, was more conciliatory. He welcomed the decision by Mr Pittella to bring down the grand coalition but recognised that “this is not going to make his election any easier”. Mr Gysi explained that the fact that Mr Pittella made this announcement before the elections was in itself “a promising sign”.
Opposition to Tajani and Verhofstadt. With the candidacy of Mr Pittella causing a certain amount of circumspection within the radical left group, the EPP’s candidate, Antonio Tajani, appears to have been unanimously rejected by the three representatives from the GUE/NGL. The Belgian candidate, Guy Verhofstadt, standing on behalf of the ALDE, does not appear to be generating any more enthusiasm either. Ms Zimmer said that one major problem for Mr Verhofstadt was the fact that he had been a key player in the grand coalition. She believes that the biggest problem Verhofstadt’s candidacy faces is the fact that it has been “discredited” since the botched attempt to get the Italian delegation of the 5-star movement into its ranks (see EUROPE 11700). She believes that ALDE should put forward a new candidate under the terms of the new Parliamentary regulation that enters into force on 16 January next (see EUROPE 116888). She concluded that ALDE “can do this and should do this”.
GUE/NGL not closing door on M5s members. Questioned by EUROPE about dissident MEPs from the 5-star movement joining them, in light of the first defections (see EUROPE 11701) (see other article), Eleonora Forenza indicated that GUE/NGL would be open if there were any requests but that “for the time being, there have been none”. According to the VoteWatch reflection group, which analysed the congruence of votes between the M5s and the other political groups, the GUE/NGL would be the group with which it shares the most political similarities at a rate of 74.2%.
Unprecedented campaign. Mr Papadimoulis indicated that the political environment had changed with the breakdown of the grand coalition, which presents an opportunity for the small political groups. Ms Zimmer repeated the fact that her group would support its candidate to the very end. Ms Forenza added rather maliciously that, “Another world is possible, why not another president?”
The presidency election will take place on 17 January next during the Strasbourg plenary session. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)