Brussels, 19/06/2019 (Agence Europe) – The GUE/NGL group was enlarged by three members on Wednesday 19 June to 41 MEPs with the arrival of two Irish MEPs, Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, and German animal rights activist Martin Buschmann (see EUROPE 12273/18).
However, at the end of its meeting, the group had still not taken a decision on its next president. Two people are reportedly in the running: Younous Omarjee (France) (La France insoumise) and Marisa Matias (Portugal) (Bloco de Esquerda). For the vice-presidency of the European Parliament, Dimitrios Papadimoulis (Greece) (Syriza) reportedly retains broad support within the GUE/NGL.Negotiations between the delegations are still intense. The group has set 27 June as the target date for staffing key positions. According to the principles governing the group's confederalism, a decision by consensus should definitely be expected next week. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)