Ursula von der Leyen opens for cooperation with the right

In the upcoming EU elections, parties on the right are expected to advance while, among other things, the liberals decline. It has raised questions about how the European Parliament should be able to negotiate and reach political majorities for the various legislative proposals that the European Commission puts forward.

Since the 2019 election, the base has been the three major party groups in the middle: social democrats, liberals (which includes the Swedish C and L) and the Christian Democratic EPP (with KD and M).

Now the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who represents the EPP, is opening up to include one of the right-wing groups in the mathematics. It is about the ECR, which includes the Sweden Democrats and the True Finns. The chairman of the group is the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, from the Brothers of Italy.

In a debate before the EU elections in June in the Dutch Maastricht, Ursula von der Leyen excluded only one association with which she does not want to cooperate. It is the far-right ID, home to, among others, Alternative for Germany, AFD.

– AFD – absolutely not, said Ursula von der Leyen.

– ECR – it depends above all on the composition of the parliament and which parties are in which groups, she said.

Her answer led to boos in the youthful audience and was met with strong reactions from some debate participants.

– You are referring to the composition of the parliament. Either you negotiate with the far right, because you need them, or you say no because they do not stand for fundamental values ​​like our commission have fought for, said the Social Democrats’ top candidate, the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit.

Ursula von der Leyen, who is the favorite to continue for another term, went hard on the ID group’s top candidate Anders Vistisen from the Danish People’s Party.

– Your party comrades are doing Putin’s errands, she said, referring mainly to the AFD and French Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party.

For his part, Vistesen started the debate by saying that if ID wins the EU election, 10,000 EU officials will immediately be fired. Ursula von der Leyen would be the very first, he promised.

The debate in the university city of Maastricht was held with a large audience of young voters. Above all, they appreciated the messages about a green and fair Europe that came from the representative of the Green Group, the Dutchman Bas Eickhout.

Outside the venue demonstrated students against the war in Gaza, one of the topics that came up during the part that dealt with the EU’s security and foreign policy.

The left-wing candidate Walter Baier, from Austria, called for the EU to introduce sanctions against Israel.

Ursula von der Leyen defended the EU’s position that Israel has the right to defend itself, but must follow international law.

– It would be completely unacceptable if Netanyahu (Prime Minister of Israel) invades Rafah, she said.

The debate in Maastricht was carried out with the top candidates nominated by eight of the EU Parliament’s party groups. The plan is that the party family that gets the most votes also gets the post of EU Commission president. All opinion polls show that the EPP will be the largest group and thus Ursula von der Leyen would continue.

The Sweden Democrats’ group ECR has decided not to field a top candidate.

Formally, it is the EU’s 27 heads of state and government that appoint the chairman. After the 2019 election, they agreed not to choose one of the top candidates. Instead, Ursula von der Leyen was launched, which was a big surprise,

The EU Parliament’s role is to confirm, or reject, the person the heads of state and government appoint.

Read more:

The right-wing National Gathering party can become the largest party of all in Europe

SD keeps the door ajar for Hungarian Fidesz

Test yourself with the Electoral Compass before the 2024 EU elections

Podcast: After the scandals – can Ursula von der Leyen last five more years in power?