After meeting the S&D group in the European Parliament on Tuesday 9 July (see EUROPE 13449/15), the President-designate of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, outlined her political priorities for the 2024-2029 legislative cycle to the Renew Europe and Greens/EFA Groups in the European Parliament on Wednesday 10 July, who sent her their own requests for support.
At the end of the discussion between Ms von der Leyen and the centrist and liberal group, French MEP Valérie Hayer described Ms von der Leyen’s answers to the questions from the Renew Europe Group, which she presides, as “constructive”. “We have put our priorities on the table (see EUROPE 13446/6). We have made it very clear that we do not accept any flirtation with the far right. She gave us a commitment. We’ll be looking at it very closely”, she explained to a number of journalists.
The President of the Renew Europe Group is now expecting commitments from both Ms von der Leyen and her Christian Democrat political family on the issues of competitiveness, defence and respect for the Rule of law. She also called for a clear commitment to building a majority in the Parliament of pro-European groups, saying that “what is happening today in the European Parliament negotiations” does not demonstrate this commitment.
According to one participant in the discussions, German Liberal Moritz Körner strongly criticised the ‘von der Leyen’ Commission for releasing €10 billion of European funds at the end of 2023, in claiming that Hungary had carried out reforms to ensure respect for the Rule of law (see EUROPE 13313/9).
Ms Hayer also pointed out that, for Renew Europe, the ‘cordon sanitaire’ will apply to the nationalist Patriots for Europe group and to the conservative ECR group. On this point, the secretary of the European Democratic Party (EDP), the Italian Sandro Gozi, said that he found Ms von der Leyen’s words reassuring, explaining to Agence Europe that certain ambiguities had been cleared up, including those concerning the reforms necessary for EU enlargement and own resources for the EU budget.
Greens are open to being part of a pro-European coalition
After their discussions, which were also described as “constructive” with Ms von der Leyen, the Co-Presidents of the Greens/EFA Group, Germany’s Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout of the Netherlands reiterated their Group was open to being part of a pro-European, pro-Ukraine and pro-Rule of law coalition in the European Parliament.
Ms von der Leyen has made it very clear that she wants a “stable majority” in the European Parliament and, to achieve this, there is no other option than to talk to the pro-European groups, said Mr Eickhout. He said he hoped that an overall position would emerge from the Greens/EFA group on Ms von der Leyen’s candidacy, highlighting the fact that this group is “the most consistent” in the behaviour of MEPs during European Parliament votes. And to reject any “structural cooperation” with the ECR.
On the substance, Ms Reintke and Mr Eickhout rejected any backtracking on the objectives and implementation of the European Green Deal (see other news), believing that the initiatives advocated by the environmentalists in favour of decarbonising European industry are in line with the increased economic competitiveness put forward by the Christian Democrats.
Ms Reintke also insisted on strengthening existing European instruments for enforcing the Rule of law in the EU.
On Thursday, the Conference of Presidents (CoP) of the European Parliament’s political groups will adopt the agenda for the constituent session of the European Parliament, to be held from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 July in Strasbourg. At this stage, Ms von der Leyen’s election is scheduled for Thursday 18 July. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys and Mathieu Bion)