Von der Leyen grilled monthly next term, EU Parliament vows

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Welcome to EU Elections Decoded, your essential guide for staying up to date and receiving exclusive insights about the upcoming EU elections. This is Max Griera, writing from Brussels. Subscribe here.

In today’s edition

• The European Parliament wants to grill the Commission President every month as of next term: but will Ursula von der Leyen comply if re-elected?
• Bits of the week: Discover the world of political betting and how bookmakers are predicting the EU election; Hungary’s new party challenges Orbán; Spanish Socialists’ hunt for a lead candidate; Spitzen-tracker.
• In case you missed it: Germany’s Scholz warns of ‘threat to EU prosperity’ through far-right election triumph; EU parties and Commission sign campaign rulebook against foreign interference, disinformation; Von der Leyen launches election campaign in Athens vowing to ‘fight back’ Putin’s EU friends; Polish far-right begins election campaign with Polexit demand; EU migration pact centre-stage for Macron’s camp in bid to counter far-right.

The European Parliament adopted on Wednesday a revamp of their internal procedures post-June’s EU elections, and under the hundreds of amendments lays an enhanced scrutiny power over the Commission – and its President Ursula von der Leyen. 

From next term onwards, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will be able to grill the Commission President – Ursula von der Leyen if she gets reelected – every month. 

“As a general rule, once per part-session, a special scrutiny session shall be held with the President of the Commission or selected Commissioners without a pre-defined theme,” the reform reads.

But the European People’s Party (EPP), von der Leyen’s political family, quickly tried to shield her from this enhanced scrutiny by voting against the amendment.

However, a majority was reached with the support of Socialists, Greens, Liberals, and The Left. 

“This has to be negotiated in the interinstitutional agreement with the future Commission if it really wants it to be effective and implemented,” an EPP group spokesperson told Euractiv, defending its stance, as a beehive protects its Queen.

Recently, von der Leyen has been increasingly cornered by scandals and attempts by the opposition to undermine her: knives are out ahead of the EU elections.

While her dodgy text messages with Pfizer over the COVID-19 vaccine deals are still chasing her in the form of an EU public prosecutor inquiry. Most recently her involvement in the appointment of her German party colleague, CDU’s Markus Pieper, as the Commission’s SME Envoy, has given opponents more ammunition against her, especially in the Parliament but also among fellow Commissioners.

On Thursday, MEPs demanded the Commission to rescind Pieper, putting von der Leyen under doubt.

“They abuse standard EU staff appointment procedures to run cheap political campaigns,” the EPP group said on X in opposition.

Meanwhile, four Commissioners have previously voiced their opposition to von der Leyen’s SME Envoy choice. 

A true counter-power to the Commission? 

With a reputation for being a secretive and controlling leader, such a window into her work may be a major blow for von der Leyen.

Ahead of June’s EU election, the institution representing the voice of European citizens is trying to reassert its role as a true counter-power to the Commission. 

“We successfully pushed for a new system of special scrutiny hearings and plenary scrutiny sessions so that we can question leading members in EU institutions, like the Commission President, on the most pressing issues,” the Socialist MEP involved in the negotiations, Domènec Ruiz Devesa, told Euractiv. 

The reform’s lead negotiation MEP Salvatore De Meo, of the EPP family, declined to comment.

The Commission President’s monthly hearings are part of the broader concept of “special scrutiny sessions,” whereby the political groups can agree to hold, on short notice, a hearing with “any relevant person.”

However, the Parliament is toothless when it comes to enforcement, as the maximum sanction if an individual decides not to show up, is either to deny access to the premises like it already happened with Amazon, “a formal statement expressing the Parliament’s dissatisfaction,” or “any other appropriate measures.”

Now, will Ursula von der Leyen comply?

Bits of the week

New Hungarian party challenges Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz: The newly registered TISZA Party (Respect and Freedom Party) is challenging Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his party Fidesz ahead of EU and local elections as its leader, Péter Magyar, rallied thousands in a march against the government.

… Who is he? Magyar, ex-husband of former Justice Minister Judit Varga and Orbán’s party insider, burst onto the political scene in the wake of a scandal in February, which resulted in the resignation of his ex-wife from all her positions and President Katalin Novák. He then went rogue against Orbán, publishing secretly recorded conversations between him and his ex-wife, alleging corruption in the government’s highest echelons. More from Telex. 

Ribera and Borrell self-discard to lead Spanish Socialists, García next. The Spanish Socialist party, the biggest delegation in the S&D, is on the hunt for its lead candidate. Current vice-president and Green transition Minister Teresa Ribera rejected the post, media reported, saying she wants to stay in Madrid, also rejecting rumours she could be Spain’s next Commissioner. EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell also rejected such prospects. It seems it will ultimately be Iratxe García, the current S&D president, who will lead the lists, though nothing is confirmed. 

Place your bets, literally, ahead of EU elections: Centre-right MEP Toine Manders (CDA/EPP) is hosting an event in the European Parliament on 16 April with the European Gaming and Betting Association. The topic? How to predict the outcome of June’s EU elections. The speaker list includes Kyle McGrath, head of political betting at a known gambling house that offers the opportunity to place bets on who will win the election. 

Despite the involvement of bookmakers and betting houses, “no political betting that evening (…) for me it’s about focusing on the scientific approach to predicting the outcome of the EU election,” Manders assured.

“I am not sending invitations to colleagues, because they might consider it as promoting. Also with the inappropriate forms there are of betting (…) for many people, it is a hobby, but most people are losing money when it is not the responsible way of betting, which I do not support,” he added. 

Spitzen-tracker: Greens’ Bas Eickhout spotted presenting a cookbook ‘Eating Greens’ in Brussels, on how vegetarian and vegan food habits can help with climate change; Socialist Nicolas Schmit travelling to Prague and Budapest this weekend; Left’s Walter Baier protested in front of the Parliament against the Asylum and Migration Pact; EPP’s Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her campaign team, with her head of cabinet Bjoern Seiber as Campaign Manager, and the Commission’s head of unit at DG COMP Alexander Winterstein as Chief Spokesperson. Both have taken unpaid leaves to fulfil the roles until 10 June, the day after the official campaign ends and the day the horse-trading among the leaders starts. 

In case you missed it

Germany’s Scholz warns of ‘threat to EU prosperity’ through far-right election triumph. Right-wing populist parties would “destroy” the EU’s prosperity and values, warned German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, S&D), seemingly switching to campaign mode at a European Socialists event in Bucharest this weekend.

EU parties and Commission sign campaign rulebook against foreign interference, disinformation. All European political parties signed a code of conduct, brokered by the European Commission, as part of broader efforts to shield June’s EU elections campaign from foreign interference and disinformation – but the deal is weak and does not apply to national parties. 

EU migration pact centre-stage for Macron’s camp in bid to counter far-right. French President Emmanuel Macron’s Besoin d’Europe coalition has upped support for a new pact on migration and asylum, emphasising a desire to tackle illegal immigration and fend off the far-right narrative ahead of June’s EU elections.

Von der Leyen launches election campaign in Athens vowing to ‘fight back’ Putin’s EU friends. EU Commission chief and centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) candidate for the European Elections, Ursula von der Leyen, vowed to “fight back” far-right “Putin’s friends” who wish to “hijack” Europe’s future.

Polish far-right begins election campaign with Polexit demand. Polish far-right leaders are launching their European election campaign by setting up parties that want Poland to leave the European Union, one of which was founded by former MEP Stanisław Żółtek.

If you’d like to contact us for tips, comments, and/or feedback, drop me a line at max.griera@euractiv.com, or to Eleonora at eleonora.vasques@euractiv.com

[Edited by Aurélie Pugnet/Rajnish Singh]

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