Catalan separatists Carles Puigdemont and Toni Comín withdrew their candidacy to join the Greens/EFA group on Tuesday 28 January, on the eve of a vote within the Greens that seemed to be lost in advance.
Thus, in order to avoid losing face, the Catalans apparently preferred to withdraw their candidacy on the pretext of ideological incompatibility, rather than lose a vote. However, the decision by the two Catalans provoked a lively debate that lasted for more than an hour and a half within the group, on the morning of Wednesday 29 January, between the supporters of the integration of the said Catalans, represented in particular by François Alfonsi (European Free Alliance, France), and the opponents, including the Belgian co-president, Philippe Lamberts.
The latter’s opposition, in addition to Mr Puigdemont’s political profile (stemming from the right-wing Catalan Democratic Party), can be explained by the fact that the two Catalans have received the support of the N-VA, a hard-right and liberal right-wing, regionalist and pro-independence Flemish Belgian party.
However, according to Mr Alfonsi, this argument is not admissible, recalling that the N-VA was a member of the group at one time. Moreover, the group’s internal rules preclude any “import” of national or regional debates into the parliamentary group, he reportedly insisted during the meeting.
The time has come, according to Mr Alfonsi, for the “conversion” of MEPs, in part to compensate for the departure of the 10 British MEPs. It is true that, if this loss were not compensated, the group could be demoted to sixth position, behind the far-right Identity and Democracy group (see EUROPE 12405/2).
Oriol Junqueras. The question apparently was not asked about Oriol Junqueras, who was elected head of the European Free Alliance and comes from the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), which has a real ideological closeness to the parliamentary group. However, the Catalan, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for taking part in the organisation of the Catalan self-determination referendum, has been stripped of his MEP status since 3 January and has little chance of sitting.
Five Star Movement. The debate reportedly will take place on exactly the same terms within the group with regard to integrating the 14 Italian MEPs from the Five Star Movement. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)