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The green light was given to the second European Commission established by Ursula von der Leyen. The committees of the European Parliament also supported the last controversial candidates, and it can be expected that the Commission will not have a problem even next week during the plenary session. The line that von der Leyen passed will be passed despite the fact that individual groups have serious doubts against some of the candidates. It shows what European republicans and socialists have in particular.
They passed approval in the committees last week and the other members of the Commission, ie the vice-presidents and also the Hungarian candidate Olivér Várhelyi. The biggest problems were caused by this candidate, as well as the Spanish socialist Teresa Ribera, who leads the green movement and competitiveness, and the candidate for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Raffaele Fitto.
She was with Ribera the problem of the largest group in the European Parliament of the European People’s Party (EPP) or European Conservatives and Reformers (ECR). In the EPP, the Spanish public strongly opposed it, among other things, because it has the right to be mutually responsible for the inadequate response of the Spanish authorities to the devastating floods in the south-east of the country , which killed more than 220 people. The chairman of the influential agricultural committee, Veronika Vrecionová (ODS, ECR), told the newspaper Echo24 that Riberaová performed poorly in the so-called name. grumbling and ignoring the questions Vrecion asked her.
Representatives of the liberal group Renew Europe (Renew Europe) and the Socialist and Democrats (S&D) group had doubts about the Italian candidate Fitt. Neither Meloni, nor the MEPs for her party Brothers of Italy, supported von der Leyen in her bid for President of the European Commission. The Hungarian candidate above also had political problems, largely related to the work of the local Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, when he was approved by these groups.
Marriages of very cold convenience
It seems that the Socialists have pushed hard for the vice-presidential candidates to be voted as a pack, that is, not individually. There could be a risk that the aforementioned Ribera would not pass, which would upset the delicate balance in the European Parliament. The EPP could vote together with the ECR and if the so-called cordon sanitaire was also broken by MEPs from Patriots for Europe. In the end, however, this did not happen, and after a difficult negotiation, all the vice-presidents together with Várhelyi agreed together.
Apparently the EPP feared that the socialists would “cut off” the entire Commission and thus also von der Leyen, who would then no longer be the next EC. According to behind-the-scenes estimates, the applicant may not even be from Germany, so there would be a big problem.
As individual groups are at each other’s throats they can harm each other. “The Commission’s approval process showed that the EP is more fragmented and political after the elections – thus confirming the trend that appeared in the previous elections,” said Petr Kaniok, an expert on European politics from Masaryk University in Brno, to Echo24.
“The less passionate cooperation between the EPP and the SD then copies what we see from national policies – the so-called grand coalitions with which the main central parties -right and center-left trying to maintain influence and resist the rise of other forces in marriages with very cold common sense, and it rises between them. Both the center-right and the center-left suspect that they are really hurting themselves because the parties are becoming alienated from the voters, but fear is just a powerful phenomenon,” Kaniok said. .
2024-11-25 09:18:00
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In what ways does the confirmation process for the European Commission President reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the EU’s democratic mechanisms?
## Open-Ended Questions for Discussion:
This article discusses the European Parliament’s approval of the European Commission. Here are some open-ended questions to stimulate discussion and encourage diverse viewpoints:
**Political Coalitions and Fragmentation:**
1. **How does the article portray the relationship between the European People’s Party (EPP) and the Socialists & Democrats (S&D)? What factors contribute to their cooperation and rivalry?**
2. **What are the potential consequences of increased fragmentation within the European Parliament? How might this affect the EU’s ability to address key challenges?**
3. **The article mentions “grand coalitions” between center-right and center-left parties. Is this a sustainable approach to governance in the long term? What are the alternatives, and what are their pros and cons?**
4. **
**Ursula von der Leyen’s Confirmation:**
5. **
What does the article suggest about the challenges Ursula von der Leyen may face in leading the next European Commission?
6. **
How might her confirmation process affect the public’s perception of the EU and its institutions?
7. **
What are the potential implications of the EPP’s fear that the Socialists might “cut off” the Commission and von der Leyen?
**European Politics and the Future:**
8. **
The article mentions that a “new generation is coming that doesn’t understand Europe.” What does this mean? What are the potential implications for European integration?
9. **
What strategies can be implemented to bridge the generation gap and foster greater understanding and support for the EU among younger generations?
10. **How do you think national policies in individual member states influence the dynamics within the European Parliament?
11. **What role should individual member states play in shaping the direction of the European Union?
**Thematic Sections:**
1. **Coalition Building in the European Parliament:** This section highlights the complex negotiations and alliances formed between different political groups in the Parliament.
2. **Ursula von der Leyen’s Appointment:** This section focuses on the challenges and controversies surrounding von der Leyen’s confirmation as Commission President.
3. **The Future of the EU:** This section explores the broader implications of the political landscape in Europe and the challenges facing the European Union in the coming years.
