The Renew Europe group is the third largest political force in the European Parliament and intends to influence the election of the future European Parliament president in January 2022, halfway through the legislature (see EUROPE 12838/10). On Monday 6 December, it set out three conditions for supporting a candidate from a pro-European political force.
Calling on pro-European forces for a “constructive “ discussion, the centre-right group led by the Frenchman, Stéphane Séjourné, called for a “list of priority and institutional reforms for the remaining two and a half years of the mandate”. Such a “roadmap” should include the creation of “transnational lists” in the 2024 European elections, he said in a statement.
Second priority: every pro-European candidate for the presidency of the Parliament should be interviewed by the Renew Europe group for a “frank” exchange. A hearing is already scheduled for Wednesday 8 December with Roberta Metsola (EPP, Malta), the only declared candidate at this stage (see EUROPE 12839/21).
Finally, the Renew Europe group believes that “nationalists, who despise our common values, have no place” in the internal governance of the EU institution.
Targeted by a potential cordon sanitaire are members of the Identity and Democracy Group and some of the ECR group, including those from national parties, such as the Polish PiS, who are currently negotiating the creation of an enlarged Europhobic group in the Parliament (see other news). (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)