Despite having only two national leaders, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), represented by Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Czech Petr Fiala, aim to have a greater say in the allocation of EU top posts, after their parties – Fratelli d’Italia and the SPOLU alliance – obtained 24 and 6 seats in the European Parliament respectively in the European elections.
In total, the ECR group won 76 seats in the EU Parliament and has established itself as the fourth largest parliamentary group after the European People’s Party (EPP), Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe and could play a role significant in shaping EU leadership.
In the coming weeks the group could win even more seats among the newly elected MEPs not yet affiliated to the European Parliament, including the Fidesz party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Czech coalition Přísaha at Motoristé.
The two ECR-affiliated leaders are taking part in the informal meeting of EU leaders which started at 18:30 in Brussels, where EU member states are expected to reach a preliminary agreement on the three figures who will fill the most senior positions in the EU for the next five years: President of the European Commission, President of the European Council and President of the European Parliament.
The currently proposed package includes outgoing European Commission President and leading EPP candidate Ursula von der Leyen as head of the EU executive, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa as head of the European Council, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as head of European diplomacy and Roberta Metsola as President of the European Parliament.
The incumbent president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, could also be re-elected by Parliament thanks to the support of her centre-right party (EPP), the Socialists and the Liberals in mid-July.
ECR has no numbers either in the Council or in Parliament to overturn his possible appointment. However, considering the growing influence of their MEPs in the next term, von der Leyen will likely try to keep them on his side.
The Czech Republic has shown a willingness to support von der Leyen’s continued leadership in exchange for a significant portfolio in the new Commission college.
Italy, however, remains cautious, with Prime Minister Meloni yet to reveal her position, with internal discussions focused on securing strategic roles within EU institutions.
The ECR manifesto promotes a Europe of sovereign nations, respecting local differences while cooperating on free trade and cultural exchange, strengthening European security and focusing on managing migration flows through comprehensive border security strategies.
As well as a review of the Green Deal, with a focus on a balanced and localized climate strategy, which prioritizes socioeconomic well-being and addresses the concerns of farmers, ranchers and small businesses.
Italy’s cautious approach
Accepting his limited power over who will be Commission president, Meloni said “the choice is up to the EPP”, reflecting that the largest political group in Parliament will express the head of the EU executive.
But “when the proposal arrives we will obviously make our assessments”, he said in the final press conference of the G7 summit.
Meloni also underlined that Italy should have a strong role in the next European Commission.
Although official discussions on the commission’s potential roles have not begun within Italy’s governing coalition, governing parties other than Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (FdI) – namely Forza Italia (PPE) – may seek to secure the their voice in the Italian nomination.
As a senior member of Meloni’s party recognized, quoted by Handle securing both a commissioner and a vice-presidency in the European Commission would be “a miracle on Giorgia’s part”. However, it should be noted that Italy did not hold the vice-presidency of the European Commission in the last mandate and therefore could be entitled to this position in the new executive.
However, complications could arise if he were to support the nomination of a commissioner from his own party. Fratelli d’Italia is part of ECR and is outside the possible majority coalition formed by popular, socialists and liberals. It is therefore unclear whether a member of Fratelli d’Italia would be accepted as vice-president of the European Commission.
This problem could have been avoided if the candidate had been from Forza Italia, part of the EPP group. To avoid consolidating too much power within Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani’s party, a more technical candidate could be considered.
Among the potential candidates are non-partisan figures such as Elisabetta Belloni, director of the Department for Information Security, and former ministers of the Draghi government: Roberto Cingolani, Daniele Franco and Vittorio Colao.
However, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto (FdI) expressed opposition to a technical candidate. “In my opinion we will have an Italian commissioner with a significant role because, at this moment, there is no stronger European leader than Giorgia Meloni. And I hope that he is a politically affiliated commissioner, because the technocrats have already done too much damage,” he told the newspaper La Verità on Monday (17 June).
Is the agreement with the Czech Republic concluded?
A Czech diplomat confirmed to Euractiv that their government is potentially willing to support the controversial “top jobs” package.
In exchange for its support, the Czech Republic seeks a significant portfolio within the Commission, ideally competition or the internal market.
MEP Alexandr Vondra (CZ,ECR) underlined the need for the European Commission to be “less revolutionary, less bureaucratic and less ideological”.
However, he acknowledged von der Leyen’s recent policy changes.
“We (in ECR) perceive that it is adapting its policies a bit to the new situation. There are these phrases about how we cannot ignore the needs of industry, the economy and so on. I’m happy about it,” Vondra told Euractiv Czechia last month.
Read the original article here.
[a cura di Simone Cantarini]
