There is a risk that the European Parliament plenary will not take into account on Wednesday 7 February, the suggestion from its constitutional affairs committee to set up a European constituency to help elect MEPs on trans-national lists.
The EPP, ECR and GUE/NGL all submitted amendments to remove any reference to a European constituency in the draft ‘Huebner/Silva Pereira’ report on Parliament’s composition (see EUROPE 11945).
Speaking on behalf of the EPP, Manfred Weber, from Germany, explained on Tuesday 6 February that a “clear majority opposed" the creation of trans-national lists, particularly because of the risk of uprooting the figures elected on these lists. Apart from the Spanish delegation and a number of isolated MEPs, such as the Polish rapporteur Ms Huebner, the Christian Democrats are expected to oppose this concept.
The S&D group is "moderately" in favour of trans-nationalists, according to Maria João Rodrigues, from Portugal, at the end of last week. The temporary president of the S&D group, Udo Bullmann, from Germany, confirmed this on Tuesday. Nonetheless, according to one parliamentary expert close to the dossier, it is quite likely that the Swedish, Danish and Dutch delegations will vote against. The outgoing British Labour Party members are expected to abstain, as opposed to the British MEPs in the ECR and EFDD, who will not hesitate to vote against.
The ALDE, Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL are not united on this question. The Liberals and Greens are in favour of creating trans-national lists, while the far left is more or less opposed. The President of the GUE/NGL, Gabi Zimmer, from Germany, stated, "There is no majority approval from my group, which rejected the idea of having a single position".
Speaking on behalf of the Greens/EFA, Philippe Lamberts, from Belgium, predicted that a majority of MEPs would be in favour of a, “supra Federal European constituency”. According to the latter, the candidates included on a trans-national list would be obliged to advocate the same line throughout the EU, without adapting it to the sensibilities of the voters in the country where they are operating.
At the end of 2015, Parliament spoke in favour of including the creation of trans-national lists in the EU electoral law, which is the real underpinning legal basis (EUROPE 11429).
705 MEPs at Parliament after Brexit
A majority of MEPs, however, are expected to support the composition of the European Parliament for the 2019-24 legislature as suggested by the parliamentary committee responsible.
The draft 'Hübner/Silva Pereira' report proposes to divide the 73 seats in the following way, after the United Kingdom leaves the EU: - 27 seats are expected to be allocated to countries that are currently underrepresented, namely, +5 seats for France (79) and Spain (59), +3 seats for Italy (76) and the Netherlands (29), +2 for Ireland (13), +1 seat for Poland (52), Romania (33), Sweden (21), Austria (19), Denmark (14), Finland (14), Slovakia (14), Croatia (12) and Estonia (7); - 46 seats will be placed in reserve in view of creating a European constituency that would seek to elect 30 MEPs on the basis of trans-national lists with the Balkan countries' accession to the EU.
Support for Spitzenkandidaten system
MEPs are also expected to support the Spitzenkandidaten process, according to which the political families select an individual who, in the event of victory in the European elections, would preside the European Commission on a proposal from the Council and following approval by the European Parliament.
This is what happened with Jean-Claude Juncker in 2014, after the victory of the Christian Democrats in European elections.
The report by Esteban González Pons (EPP, Spain) on the revision of the framework agreement on relations between the European Parliament and European Commission will be put to a vote on Wednesday. It is highlighting the fact that, “Parliament will be prepared to reject any candidate for the Commission presidency who has not been appointed as a Spitzenkandidat ahead of the European elections".
The main political groups are very much in favour of this process because it would make the process for appointing the future president of the Commission more transparent. This is the argument put forward by the EPP, S&D, ALDE, Greens/EFA groups. The EPP is just as in favour of it too because it has a very good chance of winning the election again in 2019.
Nonetheless, uncertainty is reigning at the Council with regard to the intention of the member states to re-experience something that has already being presented to them as a fait accompli.
The Visegrad countries are opposed to the trans-national lists and do not want the Spitzenkandidaten process to change the institutional balance to the disadvantage of the member states (see EUROPE 11948). Ireland, Croatia (see other article) and Austria have given their support to the process. At the end of 2017, social democratic governments also gave their support during the Socialist Congress of Lisbon.
Uncertainties are hanging over the intentions of France and Germany. The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, is in favour of the trans-national lists but has not spoken for or against the Spitzenkandidaten process. As it is not affiliated to a European political party, the En marche ! movement would find it difficult to make a choice before the European elections regarding a figure at the centre of the political chessboard for presiding the Commission. In Paris, there are a number of questions, particularly with regard to the fact that the Spitzenkandidaten process prevents current leaders from being appointed beforehand and therefore places a de facto limitation on the power of the member states.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, stated on Tuesday in Strasbourg, "I have the impression that there are some at the Council who do not want to commit themselves to this move forward. We are in 2017, we need more democracy. I am committed to ensuring candidates to head the list in the next European elections”. He is convinced that, “there is no contradiction between the Spitzenkandidaten process and the trans-national lists" and pointed out, “even if, in Parliament, the majority of us are of the opinion that the Spitzenkandidaten are necessary, I get the impression that at the Council there is almost a majority against".
On Wednesday 14 February, the Commission will present its contribution to the informal European Summit which, on Friday 23 February, will examine these institutional questions, including the question of European consultations promoted by the French authorities. (Original version by Mathieu Bion and Camille-Cerise Gessant)