EU hard-right parties to back von der Leyen after ‘intense’ meeting

The Belgian and Czech delegations of the hard-right ECR group have expressed their will to vote for Ursula von der Leyen for a second term while Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia praised the centre-right politician for resisting the left’s pressure against migration deals with third countries.

On Tuesday morning, the ECR group met with von der Leyen two days before a crucial vote in the EU House that will determine whether she will be re-elected at the EU Commission’s helm.

After the one-hour meeting, which von der Leyen described as “intense”, Belgium’s New Flemish Alliance N-VA (three seats) lawmaker Johan Van Overtveldt said her answers to “our questions went in the right direction”.

For her part, MEP Assita Kanko, also from N-VA, explained that the ECR will still have to discuss “as a group” but noted that some have already decided to vote for von der Leyen.

An ECR MEP, who was present at the meeting with von der Leyen as well as a group meeting on Monday afternoon, told Euractiv that in addition to N-VA, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s Civic Democratic Party (three seats) also intends to vote for the German politician.

On the other hand, the delegations from Poland’s PiS (20 seats), Romania’s AUR (six seats) and La France fière (four seats) have indicated that they will vote against von der Leyen.

“It’s hard for Poland’s PiS to vote for von der Leyen […] they did so in 2019 and they now say von der Leyen betrayed them”, the source added, noting that PiS considers von der Leyen responsible for their defeat in the national elections, won by EPP’s Donald Tusk.

Adam Bielan, head of the Polish delegation, posted on social media that his main criticism to von der Leyen was her “excessive” EU interference in member states’ politics as well as “attempts to influence electoral results in Poland or Italy”.

“I cannot imagine that we can support Ursula von der Leyen’s candidacy for another term of office”, he added.

Fratelli d’Italia still unclear

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party (Fratelli d’Italia), the largest in ECR, has not yet decided what they will do.

“Don’t expect us to come out with a decision,” group co-chair Nicola Procaccini said as he entered the meeting with von der Leyen, adding that another two group meetings will follow during the day.

The ECR source explained that the “sense” in the group is that Fratelli d’Italia “will vote” for von der Leyen considering that “many concessions” were made toward Meloni’s MEPs, including a parliament vice-presidency for Antonella Sberna.

Sources from Fratelli d’Italia in the European Parliament told Euractiv after the meeting that the delegation’s head Carlo Fidanza “recognised von der Leyen for resisting the pressure of the left who tried to boycott the agreements with Tunisia and Egypt”.

Fidanza also hoped that Europe will continue “on the path traced by Giorgia Meloni, with new agreements with African countries to stop departures and defeat the trafficking mafias”.

Fidanza also attacked the Green Deal saying here is a need for a “radical change” and according to his party sources, he told von der Leyen that those who pushed for the Green Deal were “penalised” at the EU elections and those who criticised it, were “rewarded.”

Fratelli d’Italia’s opposition to the Green Deal puts von der Leyen on collision course with two pro-EU coalition partners – the Greens and EU socialists – who want the green flagship legislation to remain intact.

Read more:

• EU socialists: Ban on petrol cars ‘key demand’ for next Commission
• Greens make ‘important step’ with von der Leyen, want ‘solid’ pro-EU coalition

*Aneta Zachová and Aleksandra Krzysztoszek contributed to this article 

[Edited by Chris Powers]

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