La Via: “The clash on flexibility will be played between North and South Europe”

During Matteo Renzi’s speech at the European Parliament, the Head of the EPP Group, Manfred Weber, didn’t economize on critics against the Italian PM, asking him to “respect the balance rules” because “new debt does not create future, it destroys it,” adding that “flexibility is the wrong solution.” The Italian PM did not like this, and replied Weber would better tell this to the Italian representatives among the EPP “who had governed Italy lately” reminding that the Democratic Party “is governing together with an EPP party”, that is, the Nuovo CentroDestra. Giovanni La Via is Head of the NCD Delegation at the European Parliament.

Honourable Member, what do you think about the speech made by your Head of Group?
“His position on Italy was a bit tough, let’s say Weber could have spoken differently. The thing is, debates on the Stability Pact are lively even into our group.”

Some ask for more flexibility, some ask for austerity to be kept
“We mentioned Merkel’s spokespersons into our EPP document: he talked about flexibility, as per the existing tools; now we just have to decide how to decline this flexibility.”

This seems like a never ending story
“Still, the political climate is different, positions no longer diverge into groups but between North and South. For instance I think Finnish Socialists will vote for austerity, and Mediterranean Populars for flexibility. No surprise, we will enjoy a democratic debate at the Parliament.”

What about Renzi’s speech?
He was quite poor in details, I have to say, he made a general presentation of the project for giving a new ‘soul’ to Europe, but with few details, he could have done more about it. In any case, we will read the documents of the Presidency before judging.”

He blamed the EPP for the Italian debt
“If we talk about debt, we need to say that in the last twenty years the center-left governed for 10 years and the center-right for the other 10. And if we really want to get back to the roots of the Italian debt, we need to get even further in the past.”

No problem then between Renzi and the NCD?
“We are a Great Coalition in Italy, now we will be a Great Coalition in Europe.”

Still, a Great Coalition that came into light with some battles about the election of Vice Presidents
“No severe issues for that vote, let’s say some ‘mistake’, I don’t want to give them too much value. And everything was corrected with the election of the quaestors, with the election of an EPP representative first and then an S&D one.”