Today Ursula von der Leyen goes to the count in Strasbourg with a fateful number in her head: 401. These are the votes with which she was re-elected president of the European Commission on 18 July last, by secret ballot. Its new college of commissioners will be voted on in plenary, by simple majority and by open vote. However, the European political landscape has undergone significant changes in recent months. One of the most important was the openness towards the ECR group, the European Conservatives and Reformists, of which Fratelli d’Italia is part, which will vote in its support since Fitto is both commissioner of the Pnrr and vice-president.
The president of the EU Commission has confidence and manages to include greens, socialists, liberals, EPP and ECR in her new majority. The Socialists are clear in declaring that the majority includes the Greens but not ECR. The Greens feel included in the coalition, but only partially. The EPP, then, through its group leader Manfred Weber, speaks of a European majority that goes “from the Greens to the ECR”, specifying that the pro-European front includes only a part of the ECR, or Brothers of Italy. In reality, Giorgia Meloni’s party will give its vote to today’s package, reserving the right to give its support in the future depending on the measures that will be launched by the new Commission.
Von der Leyen’s other strategic move concerns the greens: he has in fact appointed former group leader Philippe Lamberts as special advisor on climate. At that point, half of the Green group, around twenty MEPs led by the German and Dutch delegations, chose to support the new Commission. The Italian, Belgian and French delegations instead opt for no. Difficult situation even among socialists. The group, led by the Spanish Iratxe García Pérez, decided to support the new Commission, taking a step back from the no to Raffaele Fitto, who many of them had described as an “exponent of a post-fascist force”. The Italian and Spanish delegations lead the yes front for von der Leyen, while the Germans, French and Belgians are divided between abstentions and votes against.
In Italy, meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s protests over the nomination of Raffaele Fitto as executive vice president have dissolved into a soap bubble. “Italians understand that having an executive vice president of the European Commission, a role never held before by Italy, with strategic delegations, is a great opportunity and reflects Italy’s role in Europe”, said Giorgia Meloni. According to breaking news reported by Ansa, however, the German SPD has decided to abstain. “For the first time in the history of EU institutions, a representative of a post-fascist party is about to obtain a leadership position. This was only possible because the President of the Commission proposed Raffaele Fitto to the prominent position of Vice-President of the Commission, even if the family of his party, that is Ecr, did not vote for his nomination”, wrote the SPD delegation to the European Chamber, MEP Rene Repasi, in a note.
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What are the main challenges Ursula von der Leyen faces in securing enough support for her new European Commission?
Today we welcome Dr. Maria Rossi, a leading expert on European politics, to discuss the upcoming vote on Ursula von der Leyen’s new European Commission. Dr Rossi, thank you so much for joining us.
**Dr. Rossi:** It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Host:** So, today’s vote is crucial foreign von der Leyen. What are the main challenges she faces in securing enough support for her new Commission?
**Dr. Rossi:** Ursula von der Leyen faces a complex political landscape. While she was re-elected as Commission President in July, securing enough votes for her entire college of commissioners is a separate hurdle.
The most notable challenge is the changing composition of the European Parliament. She needs to build a broad coalition that includes not only traditional pro-EU parties, like the Socialists and Liberals, but also the Greens and, somewhat surprisingly, the EPP’s right-wing allies in the ECR group, which includes Fratelli d’Italia––despite reservations from some within other center-left factions. This maneuvering represents a significant shift in the political dynamics within the EU.
**Host:** You mentioned the inclusion of the ECR aligns in a crucial vote. How significant is this move, and what are the implications for von der Leyen’s Commission?
**Dr. Rossi:** This is a momentous development. Bringing the ECR into the fold, even if only partially, indicates von der Leyen’s willingness to forge unlikely alliances to ensure her agenda passes. It could signal a shift in the Commission’s policy priorities, potentially towards more conservative stances on certain issues.
However, this also creates potential tension within the traditional pro-EU bloc. You mentioned the concerns from some Socialist MEPs about supporting the Commission that includes a member from a party they view as post-fascist. This delicate balancing act will be one to watch closely in the coming months.
**Host:** What about the Greens? They seem to be taking a cautious approach.
**Dr. Rossi:** The Green party, while ultimately offering some support, remains divided on this issue. This highlights the complex ideological considerations at play. Von der Leyen’s appointment of Philippe Lamberts as a special advisor on climate was clearly intended to appease this group. It demonstrates that even within the pro-EU camp, there are different visions on how the EU should tackle key issues like climate change.
**Host:** Dr. Rossi, thank you for shedding light on these complex political maneuvers in the European Parliament.
