The renewed ‘grand coalition’ deal that the People’s Party, Socialists and Liberals reached last week to overcome cross vetoes Therese Ribera and the candidate of Giorgia Meloni at the Commission, Raffaele Fitto, did not resist even his first attack. During the inauguration vote of the second government of Ursula von der LeyenEurope’s major political families suffered internal divisions and rifts, while radical right and left forces remained firm in their rejection of the new college of commissioners.
The result is that the Von der Leyen II Commission – in which Ribera will be executive vice-president responsible for competition and the green transition – progressed with the tightest majority in memory: 370 votes for, 282 against and 36 abstentions. In other words, with the support of only 53.8% of votes cast, the lowest percentage in history. Von der Leyen’s first government, with Josep Borrell as head of diplomacy, obtained 65% of the votes cast in 2019. Last July, the German was re-elected by 401 votes for, 284 against and 22 abstentions.
This growing polarization and political fragmentation of the European Parliament They place Von der Leyen in a weak position and would make it difficult for him to achieve his ambitious government program for the next five years. In her team’s presentation speech, the German set as political priorities for her second mandate the promotion of innovation and competitiveness to prevent Europe from falling behind the United States and China and strengthening security, as well as the defense of the continent in response. to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
During the vote of the college of commissioners, the European People’s Party (PPE) massively supported Ursula von der Leyen’s team. After all, the Christian Democrats control the new college with a total of 14 commissioners, including the president herself. However, The 21 Spanish PP deputies who voted distanced themselves from their group by supporting the “no” key. “I would rather lose a vote than my principles. We will be loyal to a European Commission led by the EPP, but we voted against it by rejecting Teresa Ribera as an incompetent vice-president,” wrote its spokesperson, Dolors Montserrat.
Slovenia’s four popular MEPs also voted against Von der Leyen’s team, while two Romanians from the group abstained.
The socialist group – led by the Spaniard Iratxe García, very close to Pedro Sánchez – also recorded its share of defections. In total, 25 social democratic deputies, mostly French and Belgian, said “no” to the Von der Leyen II commission. They criticize Germany for having appointed the candidate of Giorgia Meloni for the post of executive vice-president of Cohesion and Reforms, Raffaele Fittoconsidering that this represents a opening towards the radical right. Sánchez himself maintained the same position, but ended up accepting Fitto in exchange for unblocking Teresa Ribera.
“President, in July, there was a pro-European coalition to support you. Why then integrate the Brothers of Italy (Meloni’s party) into the group of vice-presidents which politically guides the Commission? Nothing is there for you obliged and we will not accept that”, launched the French socialist to Von der Leyen Raphaël Glucksmann. The great paradox is that the Italian socialists themselves have decided to support the new college of commissioners.
In the liberal group, there was no vote against Von der Leyenbut there were six abstentions. For their part, the Greens – whose leadership decided to support the second German government – were divided into three: 27 for, 19 against and 6 abstentions. In the field of the radical right, practically the only ones who voted “yes” to Von der Leyen’s team were Giorgia Meloni’s MEPs, due to the important role that Fitto will play.
The rest of the European conservatives and reformists, as well as the Patriots for Europe and Europe of sovereign nations opposed the Von der Leyen II Commission. “This is just a continuation of the failed policies of the last 5 years.. In June the majority of people voted for change, but this Commission and the pact between the EPP and left-wing groups mean no change. Europe deserves more,” declared Hungarian Kinga Gál, on behalf of the Patriots for Europe group.
At the opposite end of the political spectrum, the leader of La Izquierda, Manon Aubrycriticized Von der Leyen that his Commission “will be the first unity government between the right and the extreme right.” “The support of the Socialists and the Greens is a serious political error. My group will be the only credible opposition,” believes Aubry.
Ursula von der Leyen and her college of commissioners, during the investiture debate this Wednesday in Strasbourg
Among the Spanish MEPs, The only ones to have supported Von der Leyen’s second Commission are the PSOE and the PNV.. Alongside the PP, Vox, Alvise Pérez’s group and all the partners of Pedro Sánchez’s government also voted against the college of commissioners (although for different reasons): Sumar, Podemos, Compromís BNG, Bildu and ERC.
The only thing that is clear is that The EPP will have absolute control of the European Parliament throughout the legislature and will retain the power to play on different fronts.. He can vote not only with the grand coalition, but also with the radical right forces, as he has already done several times in the so-called “Venezuelan majority”. The last time was during a vote to water down the anti-deforestation law.
The President of the European Parliament, also popular Roberta Metsolaadmitted that the new legislature will be difficult due to this extreme political fragmentation, although she is convinced that the center will resist. “This Commission has received the majority support of centrist pro-European, pro-rule of law groups who are extremely strong against Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. It is in this spirit that I hope that this Parliament will continue to work,” Metsola said.
“I’m not going to tell you that it will be easy, I can only predict that it will be quite complicated.but due to these troubled geopolitical times, this responsibility falls on us”, insists the President of the Parliament. “Today is a good day for Europe because this vote shows that the center remains firm”, celebrated President Von der Leyen.
