The president of the European Commission, Christian Democrat Ursula von der Leyen, refused to work with the parties on Wednesday 21 February. “friends” Russian President Vladimir Putin in parliament, as a result of the June election. The German official, who announced his intention to run for a second term, is the candidate of the European People’s Party (EPP), the main political force in the European Parliament.
Asked during a press point about the possibility of relying on a majority in the next parliament, including the ECR group (European Conservatives and Reformists), she was evasive when drawing red lines: “Those who are against the rule of law, it is impossible! Putin’s friends, impossible! »
“It is important for me to work with pro-European, pro-NATO, pro-Ukraine groups, who clearly support our democratic values. It’s more a question of content.” Who counts, she declared alongside EPP president Manfred Weber.
In the current mandate, this group traditionally forms a majority with the Social Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe (centrists and liberals), the second and third forces respectively in terms of seats.
Far-right movements and the rise of the Eurosceptic right
But just months before European elections in the 27 countries of the European Union (EU) from June 6 to 9, polls predict a rise in far-right movements and the Eurosceptic right. The political balance resulting from the vote will determine the allocation of positions at the head of key EU institutions.
The ECR group counts among its members the Polish Law and Justice (PiS) party, Giorgia Maloney’s Fratelli d’Italia, Spanish Vox, as well as Eric Zemmer’s Reconquest party for the past two weeks. Nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán – the only leader in the EU to maintain close ties with Moscow – has said he is in talks to join the bloc for his Fidesz party.
The far-right group Identity and Democracy, meanwhile, has in its ranks the French National Rally, the German Alternative für Deutschland and the Italian Lega, among others. “Each European election changes the composition of different political parties and different political groups”Ursula von der Leyen underlined. “Those who defend our values against Putin’s cronies are the ones I want to work with”she insisted.
