The re-election of the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, took place with 401 votes in favor and 284 against.
The result has been celebrated by popular, socialists and liberalsthe three European political families that negotiated their appointment as president of the European Commission.
But seeing the result of the vote (401 MEPs in favor, 284 against and 15 abstentions that count as a vote against), it is clear that not all members of the groups of the European People’s PartySocialists and Democrats, and Renew Europe have supported the president.
The Greens yes, the Conservatives no
The result of the vote, which was secret, could have had a decisive influence the support of the Greens, who appreciated the promise of keeping intact the objectives of the Green Deal.
About forty MEPs from the group, who had declared their vote in favor, allowed Von der Leyen exceed the minimum necessary threshold of 360 votes in favor to obtain the position.
The new ‘Ursula majority’, now made up of four groups, has thus expanded to the left, and not to the right as some had assumed before this Thursday’s vote.
Did Giorgia Meloni support Von der Leyen?
There was great expectationIn fact, to discover the meaning of the vote of Brothers of Italy, the party of the first Italian minister, Giorgia Meloni. The ‘premier’ kept her intentions a secret until the last moment, avoiding giving an explanation of the direction of the vote, unlike many other parties in the European Parliament.
In the end, its 24 MEPs sided with the majority of their group, the European Conservatives and Reformists, voting against re-election de Von der Leyen.
“It is clear that the attempt to get the Greens on board further unbalanced Ursula von der Leyen’s narrative,” he explained to ‘Euronews’. Nicola Procaccini, co-president of the group.
As for the other Italian parties, both Forza Italia As the Democratic party y EuropaVerde They voted in favor of Von der Leyen, in line with their respective political families.
Which political groups have voted against Ursula von der Leyen?
The other two groups of the radical right:Patriots for Europe y Europe of Sovereign Nationsalso voted against, announcing their intentions already in the debate after the president’s speech.
In particular, the Polish MEP Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, of the radical right party Confederationfrontally attacked the president for the Migration and Asylum Pactthe reform of European migration policy who, in his opinion, holds Von der Leyen responsible for “every rape committed in Europe by immigrants.”
The Group of the European Leftwhich includes MEPs Ilaria Salis and Mimmo Lucanoas well as the delegation of the Five Star Movement.
“Von der Leyen’s speech was a dream book empty of content. He proposed the Defense Commissioner and we are in against the shipment of weapons. Rather ecological transition“We have heard military transition, this is unacceptable for us,” he told ‘Euronews’. the leader of the Five Star Movement delegation, Pasquale Tridico.
The MEPs of the Free Alliance for Europewho forms a team with the Greens and represents the European linguistic minorities in the European Parliamentare also against it, as is the independent Cypriot MEP Phidias Panayiotouwho even after his election to the European Parliament continues to be a YouTuber and has filmed his vote.
