Rift in the EU majority over hearings of the vice presidents, the line of the Populars and far-right line prevails

From the Envoy in Strasbourg – The pro-European majority that backed Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election breaks apart at the starting blocks. On the vote to set the calendar with which European commissioners-designate will undergo scrutiny in the European Parliament. In the end, the line dictated by the Populars, supported by the three groups sitting on the far right of the hemicycle, passed. The six executive vice presidents will go last, once the hearings of the simple commissioners are over, on November 12. Raffaele Fitto will go first.

It was enough jeopardize the alliance of the Populars, Socialists and the Liberals that–with the outside support of the Greens–supported von der Leyen in June. Outside the Conference of Presidents, the body that brings together the leaders of the political groups mandated to decide, the atmosphere this morning (Oct. 10) was tense. The co-president of the Greens, Terry Reintke, left the chamber first dark in the face, followed by the Socialist leader, Iratxe Garcia Perez, who said, “It was impossible to reach an agreement. We can’t understand why the EPP has again played at having double majorities, sometimes with us and other times with the far right.”

There were two options on the table: the first involved the hearings of the executive vice presidents at the end, and the second was to open the process with von der Leyen’s six deputies. The issue has political implications: no one wants to undergo the scrutiny of the parliamentary committees last as there is a higher risk of being rejected. That is when the tension accumulated among political groups during the hearing process is likely to have repercussions. The Socialists and Greens insisted on opening the dances with the vice presidents, while Liberals preferred option one, keeping — as five years ago — the heavyweights for the end.

Maroš Šefčovič, who is responsible for relations with Parliament, among other things, will kick off the dances on Nov. 4, to be followed by all the other simple commissioners until Nov. 7. Compared to the original plan, the Liberals’ idea of condensing the six vice-presidents – two Socialists, two Liberals, one of the People’s Party, and one Conservative – all on one day, Nov. 12, instead of on two passed.

At that point, however, there was a new clash over the order to follow on Nov. 12. The group leader of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), Nicola Procaccini, explained that the EPP proposed to sacrifice itself by moving the popular vice-president, Henna Virkkunen, to last, instead of the Liberal Kaja Kallas. A “sign of openness to everyone” and a “noble gesture to take overall responsibility for the conduct of the hearings,” Procaccini acknowledged. But for Socialists, Liberals, and Greens, this was not enough.

The core issue has a name, Raffaele Fitto. Ever since he was nominated as vice president, the three progressive groups have dug in their heels, threatening to destabilize the majority because of the inclusion in the EU summits of a member of a party (Fratelli d’Italia) that did not support von der Leyen’s election. Fitto’s hearing in the Regional Affairs Committee will be the first, on the morning of Nov. 12. Kallas, Socialist Roxana Minzatu, Liberal Stephane Séjourné, Socialist Teresa Ribera, and in closing, popular Virkkunen will follow.

It was the case with a resolution of the European Parliament on Venezuela last month when the alternative alliance of right-wingers took shape: the European People’s Party, the Reformists and Conservatives, Patriots for Europe, and Europe of Sovereign Nations. A strong signal: if two clues are a coincidence, the third will serve as proof. “True, it has political implications, but I think the colors of the majorities will depend on the contents of regulations and directives in the House,” said a satisfied Procaccini,” said a satisfied Procaccini.

The next showdown between the two big European political families, the Populars and the Socialists, could already be around the corner, however. And it could jeopardize the installation of the new European Commission, scheduled for Dec. 1 after the vote on the entire college of commissioners in the plenary session at the end of November. The president of the S&D Group clearly warned: as things stand, the commissioners-designate will not have an easy time. “This situation will create many problems for the whole process,” she promised.

The scrutiny of the declarations of interest of the commissioners-designate by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs (Juri) was not without controversy either. The green light came this morning after MEPs asked for more details on 23 of the 26 nominees. However, members of the Greens and the Left left the chamber in protest before the vote to give the green light to the commissioner nominees.

“The verification on financial conflicts of interest of the European Commissioners-designate by the Legal Committee of the European Parliament turned into a farce. The goal of the majority was to approve all candidates, even turning a blind eye to the most blatant conflicts; the outcome was predetermined. It is not serious to work like this,” denounced Mario Furore of the 5-Star Movement MEP.