The leading candidate (‘Spitzenkandidat’) of the European People’s Party (EPP), Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen, is still refusing to reveal her post-election strategy for a second mandate as head of the European Commission.
At a press briefing on Monday 10 June in Berlin at the headquarters of the German Christian Democratic Party (CDU), which won the European elections in Germany by a landslide (see other news), Ms von der Leyen reiterated that the first step in her approach was to open discussions with the two other European political families with which the EPP has governed during the 2019-2024 legislature, namely the Social Democrats (S&D) and the centre-right and liberals (Renew Europe) (see EUROPE 13427/8).
It is “a multi-stage process” and we will start with the parties on the platform with whom we have worked well with over the last 5 years, said Ms von der Leyen.
According to the provisional projections available, the number of MEPs from the EPP, S&D and Renew Europe groups will exceed the absolute majority of MEPs (361 votes) needed to elect the President of the Commission.
According to an internal parliamentary source, the newly elected members of the EPP group in the European Parliament will be strongly encouraged to support Ms von der Leyen if she is nominated by the European Council, potentially on 27 and 28 June. This is particularly true of the Hungarian TISZA party, set up by a dissident of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party. But not all the national parties that are members of these groups will support Ms von der Leyen, like the French EPP delegation, so the risk of an upset remains and will force the ‘Spitzenkandidat’ to seek additional support beyond the tripartite platform.
On the left of the political spectrum, the Greens and the radical left have not closed the door on cooperation with the Christian Democrat head of list. The same applies to the right of the EPP with certain conservatives. At this stage, however, Ms von der Leyen is refusing to reveal her cards, confining herself to advocating a pro-European, pro-Ukraine and pro-Rule of law coalition.
“The next Presidency of the Commission must go to Ms von der Leyen (...). The losers in the elections have no conditions to impose on who we should or should not talk to”, declared CDU President Friedrich Merz, maintaining the vagueness about the next move. Saying he was “surprised” that snap elections had been called in France after the defeat of President Macron’s party (see other news), he invited Mr Scholz to draw the consequences of the SPD party’s defeat in Germany, mocking the electoral “disaster” of the governing coalition.
The contours of the political programme on which the political groups will try to agree before electing the former German Defence Minister will have an impact on the nature of her potential supporters.
Questioned in Berlin about the climate policy she has in mind for the EU, the outgoing President of the Commission reiterated the importance of taking action to combat climate change. This means respecting the target of climate neutrality by 2050, which is included in the EPP’s election manifesto, while combining it with the importance of maintaining a competitive European economy, said Ms von der Leyen. “Industry and farmers need to tell us how we can help them” to reach the target, she added, advocating pragmatism and lots of investment.
On the subject of possible discussions with Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d'Italia party, Mrs von der Leyen replied that discussions are taking place at the level of European political families. She said that it was too early to embark on major political manoeuvres, as “the European Parliament’s political groups have not yet been reconstituted”.
On Monday evening, the leaders of the EPP party will discuss the results of the European elections remotely and begin preparations for the informal dinner of the EU heads of state or government on Monday 17 June. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)