The President of the Renew Europe group, Frenchwoman Valérie Hayer, admitted to the European Parliament on Monday 10 June that her group had suffered significant losses in the European elections, particularly in Spain and France (see EUROPE 13427/3). But she welcomed the fact that it was currently maintaining its third position as a “central force, without which no majority is possible”.
The centre-right group does seem to have limited the damage, but the latest projections place Renew Europe (79 seats) neck and neck with the Conservatives and Reformists’ group (ECR) (73 seats) - which could be further strengthened (see EUROPE 13427/4).
Ms Hayer reiterated that negotiations had only just begun and even announced “a few positive surprises” concerning discussions with several non-affiliated parties. In particular, she confirmed initial negotiations with the Volt party, previously represented in the Greens/EFA group, which won 3 German seats and 2 Dutch seats.
The Renew Europe President also welcomed the discussions underway to integrate the Bulgarian party ‘We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria’, which she said was “already part of the Renew family”.
At the time of writing, Ireland is the only country not to have finalised its count. Here again, the Renew Europe group is confident that three Irish MEPs from the Fianna Fáil party will strengthen its ranks.
On the question of the potential ousting of the Dutch VVD party, which has formed a coalition with the far right in the Netherlands, the President was more evasive than she has been previously (see EUROPE 13411/15). “My responsibility as group President is not to make decisions on my own, but to take the discussion forward as a group. And so we will have an open discussion, on an informal basis at first, between the heads of delegation this week”, she replied.
She had threatened to expel VVD from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) within Renew Europe.
It will therefore be up to ALDE to decide on the fate of VVD at its council meeting on 21 June in Vilnius. Prior to this, a first informal meeting of the heads of delegation is scheduled for 11 June.
According to several sources, it is highly unlikely that the threat initially brandished by the French delegation will be carried out.
First and foremost, this would make no sense mathematically for the group, as it would lose 4 additional seats, but it would also threaten the leadership of the French delegation within Renew Europe, following the defeat of Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party and his announcement to dissolve the French National Assembly (see EUROPE 13427/3).
Valérie Hayer has also confirmed her intention to remain at the head of the political group. While there are a number of factors in her favour, such as the absence of potential opponents and the fact that the French delegation remains the most represented with 13 seats, it would no doubt be inopportune to upset other national delegations which support VVD.
However, the President explicitly reaffirmed that her group would not form a coalition with the ECR group, citing Giorgia Meloni’s party in Italy, PiS in Poland and Reconquête! in France. “This is an extreme-right group and we are maintaining the cordon sanitaire”, she said.
However, she did not rule out a possible alliance with the Greens within a pro-European coalition that would be “as consolidated as possible”, including the current EPP-S&D-Renew Europe majority.
On the question of the group’s support for the reappointment of Ursula von der Leyen as head of the European Commission, Ms Hayer did not express a clear position. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)