It is what the Liberals were hoping for, and it is what was officially announced by the French party, La République en Marche! (or En March, LREM), at the ALDE Congress in Madrid. Although the presence of Astrid Panosyan, delegate to LREM Action Internationale, was already a sign, her speech confirmed the intention of French President Emmanuel Macron’s party to create a coalition with the Liberals.
“We must work on a new coalition for a new Europe, which is absolutely essential, a coalition that allows us to embrace the parties, civil societies, citizens and all those who wish to join (...) We can work together towards a common objective (...). The ALDE is the core on which République en marche! seeks to build this coalition”, Panosyan announced during her opening speech to the Congress, to long applause. She pointed out that the LREM would not have been possible without the Liberals who “believed” in the project and “gave it the necessary credibility”.
Panosyan also explained that the LREM would join the ALDE in one and the same group at the European Parliament. “The parties that campaign together must work together”, she said. She gave her assurance that it was out of the question to duplicate the LREM model in Europe.
Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade, a French member of the LREM, said this announcement is a “further stage in relations” that have long existed, “which exist between the LREM and the ALDE and the parties of the group”.
According to the president of the ALDE Group at the EP, Guy Verhofstadt, a resolution proposed by the Ciudadanos, D66, FDP, NEOS, VVD, Nowoczesna er Rasikale Venstre parties will be voted on Saturday 19 November on future cooperation with La République en Marche!.
République en marche! towards a major coalition?
LREM is thinking bigger and plans to open this coalition up to other parties, of every persuasion. “This coalition can help to form a broader group (than those present at the Congress), during the campaign but also after the elections (...). We are in the process of change but we must move beyond this core and reach out our hand to the parties that are not here today, and we could join them if we are ready to point them in the right direction”, Panosyan said.
The French president was hoping for a very open group (see EUROPE 12105). According to Anglade, the objective is to be able to have clout. “It is cooperation with the ALDE but not only. If it is for an ALDE ++ with the LREM it will be new, but we will not be able to overturn the power balance at the European Parliament”, he explained to EUROPE, to Le Soir and to Le Monde, while recognising that the alliance was still hazy. “Confidence in politics takes time (...); we are taking the time to do things well”, he said.
In his view, the coalition could catch the parties that had allied with the EPP or the Socialists due to their power more than for the sharing of ideas. The coalition could be created not only upstream of elections but after the elections depending on the outcome. And, although differences do still divide the LREM and certain parties belonging to the ALDE, the objective will be to come to agreement on five or six priorities.
Opening of the party is a position shared by the Spanish party, Ciudadanos. “The ALDE must be at the heart of this alliance. It must be generous. We should know that we must open our arms to other movements and leaders such as La République en Marche and President Macron”, explained Albert Ribera, of Ciudadanos. Such diversity does not frighten Vera Jourova. In her view, the diversity of opinions is typical of ALDE, which has a capacity of absorption “without losing the rest”, she said. She added that the important thing was the “mathematic factor”, the number of people elected at the European elections.
In the same way, Guy Verhofstadt said that, to win in the face of the EPP and S&D, “we need all of us, all pro-European forces, liberals, democrats, reformists, centrists, progressives – call them what you will - to be back again in the ring. We have the same ideas, the same ambitions for Europe (...) – meeting in a platform, a team that can prepare the continent for the future”.
He welcomed the presence of Emma Bonino of Italy who launched the Plus Europa party.
A team rather than one Spitzenkandidat
As foreseen (see EUROPE 12123), the ALDE party decided not to place emphasis on just one candidate for the post of European Commission president, but on a team.
“We decided we will not nominate a man of a certain age like Franz Timmermans (ESP) or Manfred Weber (EPP) but come with a team that represents our ideas, of younger men and women from throughout Europe”, announced Hans Van Baalen, the leader of the ALDE party. “We will campaign on content, on our ideas for a stronger and better EU”, he added. He also reached out his hand to the LREM, saying that this “European team can include a new friend, République en Marche!”. And the party should seize that out-held hand, said Anglade.
In response to questions put by EUROPE and Le Soir, Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová explained that the number of team members was not yet defined. “The Europe team means a good selection of people who cover Europe, whether in terms of gender, age or region”. She was against the principle of one single candidate. “I do not believe that one person can address the whole of Europe”, she explained. Hence a team, with more people, able to reach the whole of Europe.
Anglade spoke along the same lines, saying: “It is far more interesting to propose a team rather than one personality”. He even explained that the team might not be made up of only politicians but also of members of the civil society, for example. He said that a team would make it possible to come out of the single reasoning of the president of the European Commission, and recalled that other posts were also to be filled. Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sareci also felt that the Liberals should have “at least one top job”.
Between the lines, Violeta Bulc, EU Commissioner for Transport, said she would run as candidate. “Yes, I do believe it is time for a Liberal woman to lead our Union. What about you?”, she asked the representatives present in Madrid. When quizzed by EUROPE, Věra Jourová, for her part, was not forthcoming. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)