2024-03-08 15:19:00
In the relatively quiet arena of European commissioners, this kind of tackle remains quite rare. This Friday, European Commissioner Thierry Breton questioned the extent of the support enjoyed by the candidacy of the current President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. As a reminder, the latter was invested yesterday by her European camp, the EPP, with a view to a second mandate.
“Despite her qualities, Ursula von der Leyen is outvoted by her own party. The real question now: is it possible to re-entrust the management of Europe to the EPP for 5 more years, or 25 years in a row? »wrote Thierry Breton Thursday evening on the social network
« The EPP itself does not seem to believe in its candidate », added the French Commissioner for the Internal Market, from the Renew Europe group (centrists and liberals), and who works regularly with the EPP in the current mandate.
Thierry Breton spoke of “ minority » by relating this number of 400 favorable votes to the total number of 801 delegates with certain voting rights during the congress. But according to the EPP, only 737 delegates had the right to vote for the election of the candidate, and 591 were actually registered.
Reframing the Commission secretariat
Ill-advised, this dig from the French commissioner, during the campaign for the European elections, led the European executive to recall the rules of conduct. Asked this Friday regarding Thierry Breton’s comments, a Commission spokesperson indicated that it was ” a remark made in a personal capacity, and not in his capacity as commissioner ».
« The Secretary General of the Commission will send a reminder to all commissioners on the guidelines that have been defined for the electoral campaign period which they must respect », continued Veerle Nuyts, during the daily press briefing.
« We ask commissioners to exercise discretion in applying these rules “, she added.
The EPP was also quick to react. Thanasis Bakolas, its secretary general, posted the following response on the social network X: “Thank you, Commissioner Breton, for your interest in the EPP and our head of the list. I know liberals are worried regarding the upcoming European elections – having no vision, no message, no relevance. (…) »
Von der Leyen supported by her camp
As a reminder, Ursula von der Leyen saw her candidacy endorsed during a congress in Bucharest of the European People’s Party (EPP), the leading political force in the European Parliament and which is the favorite in the elections scheduled for June 6 to 9. A little over two weeks ago, the one who has headed the Commission since 2019, made her candidacy official during a press conference. “ Today I am making a conscious and thoughtful decision: I wish to run for a second term. “, declared the German political leader at the time.
Shortly before, she had already received support from her camp in Germany, the conservative party (CDU), of which she is a member. “ We must continue to defend ourselves once morest those who divide us from within and without, we must strengthen ourselves (…) this is the task that I have set for myself “, she added.
Strengthened credibility
Ursula von der Leyen was elected by a narrow margin five years ago, following being imposed as a surprise candidate by the heads of state and government. This time, the 65-year-old political executive is heading into the campaign with a head start. Indeed, the European People’s Party (EPP), of which the German CDU is a part, has the most heads of state and government within the EU and should come out on top in the elections, according to polls.
But four months before the European election, the challenges for whoever takes over the presidency of the Commission are great. The far-right parties do not hide their ambitions, driven by Europeans’ concerns regarding the economic slowdown, environmental regulations or asylum policy.
Several polls show a strong surge in the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, which brings together Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) party, the Belgian Vlaams Belang, the German AFD and the Austrian FPÖ.
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