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.
#Ursula #bis #socialists #split #French #Germans #Fitto #Tempo
What are the key challenges Ursula von der Leyen faces in securing support for her new College of Commissioners?
\
## European Commission Vote: A House Divided?
**Interviewer:** Welcome to the show. Today we’re discussing the upcoming vote on Ursula von der Leyen’s new college of European Commissioners. We’re joined by Dr. Franca Bianchi, a political analyst specializing in European politics. Dr. Bianchi, thank you for joining us.
**Dr. Bianchi:** It’s a pleasure to be here.
**Interviewer:** Dr. Bianchi, Ursula von der Leyen was re-elected as Commission President in July, but the makeup of her new College remains unclear. What are the key challenges she facing in securing support for her team?
**Dr. Bianchi:** The political landscape has changed considerably since the last election. Von der Leyen has had to walk a tightrope to create a majority. While she secures support from the Greens, Socialists, Liberals, and EPP, her inclusion of the ECR group, home to parties like Fratelli d’Italia, has generated controversy.
**Interviewer:** Indeed, even within the supporting groups, there seems to
be internal divisions. Can you elaborate on that?
**Dr. Bianchi:** Absolutely. The Socialists claim their support doesn’t extend to the ECR, highlighting concerns about their inclusion. Similarly, the Greens are divided. While half support the new Commission, others remain hesitant. Even the EPP, although backing von der Leyen, emphasizes that their “pro-European front” only encompasses a fraction of the ECR.
**Interviewer:** The appointment of Phillippe Lamberts as a climate advisor seems like a strategic move.
**Dr. Bianchi:** Precisely. It’s an attempt to appease the Green contingent. However, this remains a divisive tactic, with some Green delegations supporting von der Leyen and others remaining opposed.
**Interviewer:** And how about the Socialists? Their stance on Raffaele Fitto, Italy’s nominee to the Commission, seems to have evolved.
**Dr. Bianchi:** That’s right. Many Socialists initially opposed Fitto, citing concerns about his affiliation with Fratelli d’Italia. However, the group ultimately chose to back the entire Commission, albeit with internal divisions. The Spanish and Italian delegations lead the “yes” front, while others are more hesitant.
**Interviewer:** So, Dr. Bianchi, what are you predicting for today’s vote?
**Dr. Bianchi:** It’s a close call. While Von der Leyen secured a comfortable victory in July’s presidential election, building a solid majority for her Commission will be more challenging. The internal divisions within these diverse groups could lead to surprises. We’ll have to wait and see if Von der Leyen can rally enough support for her team.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for providing your insightful analysis, Dr. Bianchi. We’ll be sure to follow these developments closely.
