BREAKING: EPP before Brussels court next week about von der Leyen’s candidacy

5 months ago 22

Ursula von der Leyen may face complications in securing a second mandate, as her EU group, the European People’s Party (EPP), is due to appear before a Brussels court next week, where the plaintiff in the case is seeking to have the EPP remove her as their top candidate for the Commission presidency.

The EPP, which remains the biggest group in the European Parliament after last weekend’s elections, will appear for a public hearing before the French-speaking Brussels Court of First Instance next Friday (21 June) in an urgent procedure, Euractiv has learned.

A 20-page document lists reasons why von der Leyen should not be reappointed as Commission president, and her candidacy should be withdrawn by her own EU group, the EPP.

The plaintiff, Frédéric Baldan, a Belgian lobbyist who is also behind the criminal complaint against von der Leyen in the Pfizergate case, which was recently postponed to December, argues that von der Leyen violated the Charter of fundamental rights, several EU treaties and the commissioner code of conduct during her presidency and that she could soon be in the same position if re-elected.

“The EPP’s nomination of Mrs. von der Leyen for the post of President of the European Commission is an abuse of power,” the complaint reads.

“She does not meet the conditions laid down by the European Treaties, the CCME [Code of Conduct for the Members of the European Commission] or even her own party’s code of conduct for holding this office,” it adds.

Baldan “requests that the EPP be ordered to withdraw the presentation of the candidacy of Ms Ursula von der Leyen […], subject to a fine of €50,000 per day of delay from the date of notification of the decision to intervene”.

This hearing is related to the formal notice sent by the plaintiff to the European Council, Commissioner for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová and EPP chief Manfred Weber just over a week ago, calling on EU leaders to force von der Leyen’s and her commissioners’ resignation, Euronews reported.