Speaking to a group of journalists on Thursday 5 March, the S&D Group’s vice-president in European Parliament, Alex Agius Saliba of Malta, criticised the refusal of the EPP, ECR and PfE groups to organise a plenary debate next week, as requested by the Greens/EFA group, on the threat of US trade sanctions against Spain.
These threats by US President Donald Trump were made after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez decided not to allow the US to use Spanish bases for possible strikes against Iran (see EUROPE 13821/16).
At the Conference of Presidents (CoP) of European Parliament’s political groups on Wednesday, the EPP and far-right groups refused to schedule a debate on Spain. “This is not about supporting or not supporting a political position, but simply about showing solidarity with a Member State that has received direct threats from Trump”, added Mr Saliba.
He confirmed that the Greens/EFA group had proposed holding a debate, without a resolution, to demonstrate their solidarity with the Spanish government following Trump’s threats. “The S&D Group supported this proposal, but we were blocked by the EPP, which did not want to put a debate of this kind on the agenda”.
He stressed that his political group had been unanimous on Wednesday, with all delegations expressing their support for and solidarity with the Spanish government of Pedro Sánchez. He described the EPP’s behaviour as “incomprehensible”, believing that it had “chosen Trump’s camp, not Europe’s”, referring to a betrayal of European interests.
Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, Spanish) explained that, even when faced with a direct threat to an EU Member State, the EPP had been unable to “express a minimum of solidarity” with Spain.
His group fears that the EPP is relying more and more on far-right groups. This configuration is sometimes referred to by the Socialists as the “Venezuela majority”, i.e. an alternative majority made up of the EPP, the radical right and the far right.
Pedro López de Pablo, spokesman for the EPP group in European Parliament, defended himself by telling Agence Europe on Thursday that the issue of Spain would be dealt with in the plenary debate devoted to Iran. In his view, there was therefore no need to hold a separate debate “to save Pedro Sánchez”, deeming the S&D Group’s request for a debate “ridiculous”.
Ms Metsola’s silence? Mr Saliba pointed out that European Parliament President Roberta Metsola was the only one not to side with Mr Sánchez. “Both President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council António Costa have expressed their solidarity with Spain in the face of Trump’s threats”, Mr Saliba recalled.
In his view, Ms Metsola’s silence is problematic, as the EU institutions need to speak with one voice when there is a direct threat against a Member State. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)