The delegation of La France insoumise to the European Parliament came to the press meeting on Thursday 6 June in Brussels to present its MEPs, its main priorities and its strategy within the GUE/NGL and European Parliament groups.
"What I can tell you is that the GUE/NGL group will remain an opposition group and will remain a source of proposals", Younous Omargee, MEP, assured journalists that the GUE/NGL will not be in the "grand coalition" (probably EPP, S&D, ALDE).
According to the MEP, the GUE/NGL must propose alternatives against, among other things, free trade agreements, social dumping and eco-friendly policies. He assured that the LFI (La France insoumise) delegation was on "the same line as Die Linke" in terms of strategy within the European Parliament, but admitted halfway to having "differences" with Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party members.
As to whether Younous Omargee - who remained until the late arrival of Emmanuel Maurel (see EUROPE 12124/25), the only LFI member in the European Parliament - could become the next president of the GUE/NGL, he preferred to kick in the back, recalling that decisions are taken by consensus, according to the principles governing the group's confederalism.
However, he acknowledged that "a consensus was being formed at this time". "We are on a path that is positive", he said, evasive, before adding that the French delegation has "taken its full place" within the group, due to its number (6 MEPs) which will "matter considerably" in the next 5 years.
Mr Omargee gave clues as to the potential parliamentary committees that LFI members would target: - Emmanuel Maurel would potentially be in the International Trade Committee (INTA); - Manon Aubry in the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON); - Manuel Bompard certainly in the Industry, Research and Energy Committee (ITRE) and the Transport and Tourism Committee (TRAN); - Anne-Sophie Pelletier in "Rights and Freedoms" issues, which could correspond to the Human Rights Subcommittee (DROI) or the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE); - Leila Chaibi to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). Mr Omargee is expected to return to the Committee on Regional Development (REGI), of which he was also Vice-Chairman.
Manuel Bompard could be the future coordinator of the LFI delegation to the European Parliament, according to an article in Paris Match dated 5 June. At this time, the information has not been confirmed.
The names of the strategic positions and the main strategic axes of the group should start to be outlined at the next meeting, Wednesday 12 June, according to several sources (see EUROPE 12269/8). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)