The group was divided on the vote for remaining approval after the decision-making assembly in Strasbourg. Co-president Bas Eckhout says the brand new govt is “good in content material”, however a number of colleagues voted in opposition to it.
The Greens/European Free Alliance group within the European Parliament is split on whether or not to help the subsequent European Commission, it emerged after a gathering in Strasbourg as we speak.
The European Parliament will vote at noon on Wednesday to approve the EU’s subsequent govt after approving all 26 commissioners in a backroom deal between centrist teams. To get hold of the inexperienced mild, an absolute majority of votes solid is required and abstentions don’t rely as votes in opposition to.
Last July the Greens voted to approve Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, welcoming her dedication to creating a climate-neutral industrial coverage and selling financing for a simply transition.
But help for von der Leyen’s new fee has now dwindled throughout the group. “We voted and the consequence was {that a} small majority of the Green group will help the European Commission,” Dutch Greens/EFA co-president Bas Eickhout mentioned after a gathering Monday night on the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
“We had a really lengthy dialogue and I feel what was very clear is that all of us share arguments for or in opposition to very clearly. On our evaluation and analysis, we got here to the identical conclusions: (the EC is) good on content material.”
The Greens appreciated the political orientations proposed by Ursula von der Leyen and her recent statements to help cooperation. “For me, the Greens/EFA group is a part of the pro-European majority within the European Parliament, because the platform I need to proceed working with,” von der Leyen mentioned in a press notice launched the identical day.
However, environmental MEPs have additionally expressed concern concerning the composition of the brand new Commission, which incorporates Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi as commissioner for animal well being and welfare and Italian Raffaele Fitto as govt vice-president for cohesion and reforms. The Greens voted in opposition to each selections of their hearings.
Eickhout mentioned Fitto’s alternative as govt vp “is an enormous deal for us,” citing his membership in a radical right-wing get together. This might be learn as a transparent shift to the suitable for the Commission, he mentioned, in view of the truth that the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group will vote in favor of the brand new faculty.
Nonetheless, Green leaders nonetheless consider a “four-group majority” within the European Parliament (European People’s Party, Socialists and Democrats, Renew Europe and Greens/EFA, with out the ECR) is feasible. They consider that this majority may steer the insurance policies of the subsequent legislature in the direction of a pro-environmental method and advance the inexperienced transition. They mentioned they wished to “work constructively” whereas “opposing the far proper.”
“Closing the door now that von der Leyen is attempting to construct a bridge would make it not possible to construct this majority. Whereas now, if we need to say we need to attempt once more, there’s nonetheless a chance,” mentioned German MEP Terry Reintke, who chairs the group along with Eckhout.
How will Green MEPs vote?
The Commission on Monday announced the hiring of former Greens/EFA co-leader Philippe Lamberts as an advisor to President von der Leyen on the transition to a climate-neutral financial system. The transfer was sharply criticized by the right-wing group Patriots for Europe as a transparent try and co-opt Green votes.
Eickhout denied this. “Philippe Lambert’s identify was by no means talked about in these two hours,” he mentioned, referring to the lengthy assembly during which the choice was made.
Sources mentioned the dialogue between Green representatives was very intense. “It can be a catastrophe,” mentioned one Green MEP, leaving the room midway by the assembly.
Eickhout and Reintke didn’t say what number of members of the group have been for and in opposition to, however mentioned a number of colleagues remained undecided.
A Greens/EFA supply informed Euronews that the German delegation (the most important within the group) will vote in favor of the faculty, whereas Gordan Bosanac for Croatia, Thomas Waitz for Austria and Lena Schilling will vote in opposition to, along with the Italians Cristina Look, Ignazio Marino and Benedetta Scuderi. , and Leoluca Orlando, who had beforehand opposed the election of Ursula von der Leyen.
ANNOUNCEMENTThe Greens/EFA group contains 53 MPs and, with the general public vote on the Commission happening on Wednesday, the break up will change into obvious.
