Pittella: “Support for Juncker only with flexibility in the Pact”

The approval of Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission next President is strictly intertwined with the deal to be reached on the flexibility contained in the Stability and Growth Pact. Gianni Pittella, leader of the S&D Group, reiterated the message saying it would be “difficult” for Juncker passing the Parliament vote, failing the deal.

In Strasbourg the Head of the EPP Group, Manfred Weber, has called Italy to respect balance constraints during the hearing of Matteo Renzi at the opening of the Italian Semester. The speech, said Pittella in a meeting with the press, was “given by excitement, sort of scoring in your own goal.” Now “the issue in in Juncker’s hands: if the proposal he will make would acknowledge our requests, we will approve it. Was it not to happen, it would be very difficult for us to accept it. Juncker is OK, still it is now up to his intelligence and capability of reaching a stable balance.” Weber’s speech was then seen as sort of “storm in a tea cup” by Pittella: “I hope this will end with a clarification.”