Giorgia Meloni met some conservative European leaders in the Belgian capital before the dinner where the positions for the European institutions are discussed. Talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán and Polish conservative Morawiecki
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The week began decides appointments for top positions in the European Union and the leaders of the 27 will meet on Monday evening in Brussels.
Giorgia Meloni has arrived in the Belgian capital several hours before the evening commitment (scheduled start at 6pm) hosted by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The dinner is informal, it will only be a first step for the tasks, but the guests bring to the European table the results obtained in the elections of 6-9 June.
Who met Giorgia Meloni in Brussels for the EU appointments
Meloni arrived at the Amigo hotel before noon on Monday. Shortly afterwards the former Polish prime minister and member of the Law and Justice party, Mateusz Morawiecki, and the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.
Talks with both in the afternoon: the one with Orban “went well, the situation regarding von der Leyen is fluid” the Hungarian leader commented at the end.
It was foreseeable that the prime minister would coordinate what to do with other leaders who are part of the group of European Conservatives and Reformists (Ecr), including the Czech prime minister Peter Fialaor who are in tune with the leader of the Brothers of Italy (FdI).
Before dinner, the premier is was also received by Charles Michel.
How Meloni presents himself on the positions of the European Union
The Italian prime minister arrives strong with the 28.9 percent obtained in the European elections guaranteed FdI 24 seats (out of 720) in the new Parliament and a legitimation of its national leadership.
For months Meloni has been building a relationship especially on the migrant dossier with the outgoing president of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyenwho is in the front row for reconfirmation given the electoral victory of the European People’s Party (EPP) of which she is the leading candidate.
The election results, in which ai 190 seats of the EPP are added to the 136 of the Socialists and Democrats and the 80 of the liberals of Renew Europeimmediately led to the hypothesis of a wholesale confirmation of the scant majority that supports the Commission.
The immediate declarations of von der Leyen herself and of the great losers of the European vote, the German Chancellor, went in this direction Olaf Scholz (S&D) and the French president Emmanuel Macron (Liberals).
On Monday, the Politico website reported that the president of the Commission would postpone the publication of a report on the rule of law In the EU with a negative opinion on Italy so as not to compromise the support of Meloni and his followers for his re-election. A Commission spokesperson denied this and postponed the issue to July 3 when the report will be “ready” to be discussed.
To ensure a comfortable majority safe from snipers, von der Leyen may in fact need at least the Melonian MEPs, in exchange for positions in his second executive, assuming he overcomes the resistance of the European socialists.
The Italian Prime Minister’s maneuvers for the leaders of the European Union
On the eve of the elections, the hypothesis had circulated that the European right could constitute an alternative majority to the outgoing one.
However, the EPP has made it clear that its openness to radical conservatives is limited. Meloni and FdI are doing well but not other components of the ECR (77 total seats) such as the Spanish Vox and even less the Identity and Democracy (ID) group, of which the National Rally French.
Precisely the 31 percent obtained by the right of Bardella and Le Pen keeps alive the hypothesis of a force for the right, if not an alternative, at least a negotiating one. The decisions of the Hungarians also weigh on this Fidesz (which has not yet decided on an affiliation in the European Parliament) and the Germans of Alternatives for Germany who were sidelined by ID due to statements by its candidates.
It is no coincidence that Meloni would like it prolong negotiations on EU top positions until mid-July, to take advantage of the outcome of the early elections in France (double round, 30 June and 7 July) which could lead to the right in government also in Paris.
For the moment, formal decisions on the matter are scheduled for the meetings of European Council of 27 and 28 June (and they must be approved on July 18th by a majority of MEPs).
What positions is Meloni asking for in Europe?
The prime minister at the G7 in Puglia last week was clear: we are asking for a important position that legitimizes the importance of Italy and of a government among the most heartened in Europe by the vote.
ADVERTISINGIt is expected that the presidency of the European Commission will still go to the EPP, that of the European Council to the Social Democrats while the position of High Representative for Foreign Affairs will be held by the Liberals. The presidency of Parliament does not appear to be at stake with the reconfirmation of Roberta Metsola (PPE).
Meloni is therefore looking for a “ministry” with a portfolio, a role in the Commission that determines European policies that are interesting for Italysuch as the migrant dossier and the opposition to the Green Deal’s stringent commitments on the environment.
Excluding Economy (where Italian has just been Paolo Gentiloni), Competition and perhaps the Internal Market (for convenience, given the open dossiers on Italy), the commissioners for Defense and the Budget. The Italian newspaper, La Repubblica, also talks about the request for an ad hoc commissioner for migratory flows.
