Brussels, Jun. 12, (dpa/GNA) – Ursula von der Leyen has the backing of some of the top representatives of the European Parliament in her fight for a second term as president of the European Commission, according to information obtained by dpa on Tuesday.
In talks with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, incumbent leaders of the parliamentary groups gave her a mandate by a large majority to campaign for von der Leyen’s reappointment.
The parliamentary groups want Metsola to back von der Leyen in the forthcoming talks among EU leaders planned for next Monday in line with the Spitzenkandidaten principle, or “lead candidate” process.
This refers to when the pan-European groups of political parties put forward their top picks for commission president.
In this instance, von der Leyen, who campaigned on behalf of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), would have their backing. Metsola is also an EPP member.
The liberal Renew group in particular spoke out against Metsola’s mandate at the meeting, dpa learned, however, it has long been critical of the Spitzenkandidaten process.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s liberal party is part of Renew. Macron in 2019 overturned the Spitzenkandidaten process to back von der Leyen for the job over EPP lead candidate Manfred Weber.
The European Parliament president met with the group leaders as they hustled to organize themselves after the fallout of the European Parliament election results.
Existing multinational groups like the EPP and the centre-left Socialists and Democrats (S&D) are aiming to recruit newly elected non-affiliated parties to their groups for the next five years.
The future parliamentary allegiance for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) for example is in the spotlight after their expulsion from the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group over scandals involving their European election candidate Maximillian Krah.
Elsewhere, the far-right groups, split among non-affiliated, ID and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), could potentially form a new group in the EU legislature.
All eyes are on Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy (Fdl), which came out on top in the EU-wide vote at home, and whether they decide to form or join a new group at the invitation of National Rally’s Marine Le Pen in the ID group.
The first sitting of the new EU legislature is pencilled in for July 16.
GNA