At a press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday 27 February, the President of the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament, Valérie Hayer, was asked about the launch of the group’s campaign on 20 March for the European elections in June.
She did not reveal the potential ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ to head the centrist group, explaining that the selection was “under discussion”, adding that there were “many incarnations and talents to embody Europe”.
She also remained elusive on her very likely appointment as lead candidate for the French presidential party Renaissance (see EUROPE 13358/29). “It’s the president of the group who’s talking to you” she reminded journalists. “You have read the press (...), there is a process that is going to happen, we have a party executive meeting that will take place on Thursday to name the lead candidate and we will talk about it between now and then, if things progress”.
Also asked about how to reconcile her role as president of the Renew Europe group with that of potential lead candidate for Emmanuel Macron’s party - sometimes at odds on certain issues, such as the directive on platform workers (see EUROPE 13355/19) and the directive on combating violence against women (see EUROPE 13351/23) - Ms Hayer replied, with a smile, that “you will discuss this with the lead candidate” in due course. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)