A week that has seemed like a year. A week in which, in reality, not much has changed. The summary is simple: Teresa Ribera will be vice president of the new European Commission, also the Italian Raffaele Fitto, Ursula von der Leyen will have her team intact. Everyone has won and lost after nine very intense days in Brussels in which almost no one understood anything. Something was resolved on November 20 that could have been resolved on the 12th or 13th. No more, no less. Nothing has happened here, they repeat mentally in the corridors of the European Parliament while in Madrid and Brussels arguments, messages and stories intersect to ‘sell’ the final result based on political color.
There are, again, two spheres in the entire course of events in the final afternoon-night of the mess. It snowed in Brussels, almost like a Christmas gift with the unlocking of the new European Commission. In the community capital the meetings were in three groups: European People’s Party (EPP), social democrats (S&D) and liberals (Renew), that is, the ‘pro-European’ political structure that has been – and seems to continue to be – the support of Von der Leyen.
A long night was spent, with journalists stationed at doors and floors, waiting for a white smoke that arrived… despite having to ask for details later. The game was also of times: Manfred Weber and his PPE announced their support for Ribera when she was still appearing in Congressand they allowed the Spanish PP to stay out of that yes not only to the Spanish one, but also to the European Commission as a whole. Like that child for whom you prepare a special menu because he doesn’t like lentils: everyone is happy, or almost so.
Because? Because the other important piece of the puzzle was missing: the social democrats. If Ribera had the green light, they needed to give it to Fitto to keep the house of cards standing. The progressives were divided because there was a big dilemma, consisting of whether or not to give way to the radical right in the new Commission, as if the fact that Fitto fell was going to imply that his alternative was not going to be proposed by Giorgia Meloni. The alley had no exit because that’s how the system works. “All governments have the right to their commissioner,” said Pedro Sánchez. Yes, even those executives led by the extreme right.
The agreement seemed to have been made almost from the beginning of the day, but it was necessary to put it black on white so that each one could sell the ‘victory’ to his coreligionists. The problem was never huge; but words matter. The key hour, after Weber’s announcement, was five in the afternoon. Here is the first scene that ventured the conclusion: Weber, S&D leader Iratxe García and liberal leader Valerie Hayer They entered the group presidents meeting together. “Is there an agreement?” they asked upon arrival. And a smile from the German in response.
The agreement of nuances
“Everything controlled”said the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, in conclusion. The running through the building was even strange, because it was crowded as this soap opera coincides with the plenary session of the Committee of the Regions. Two Europes in one, really. That of ‘close’ politics and that of the politics of discourse, of moving commas and periods to convince oneself that everything has turned out well; or it has come out, at least.”All this could have happened days ago,” said community sources consulted by 20 minutesdenoting satiety, tiredness. These were not healthy moments for the EU and in fact there were voices unrelated to the whole mess that made it ugly, once again, to transfer national clashes to the European sphere. “This doesn’t work like that”the Greens insisted.
AND Madrid, Madrid, Madrid. In the capital of Spain there are also two parties – which are the ones that directly led to this situation. In the PP they accept being left behind against Ribera and even against Von der Leyen, and they see it as a triumph of “coherence.” They don’t want Ribera under any circumstances and that’s why they go to the end: Its 22 MEPs will not vote in favor of the new community Executive; They have gotten away with it… half-heartedly. The still vice president of the Government does not fall but they do not give in. What is more surprising: They will not give their ‘yes’ to the Commission with the greatest EPP presence in history.
There is more satisfaction for that national ‘so much’ than a bad taste for being the only delegation that fails. The same thing happens with the PSOE (or with the Sánchez Government): They pay the price of Meloni and Orbán but keep Ribera. It was the president’s bet, and it remains there, although it will be difficult for them to explain to the progressives their vote for Fitto. In fact, the schism in S&D is relevant because precisely the Italian one is the largest delegation, followed by the Spanish one. Everyone pays, in a way, their toll to avoid the drama. Question of perspectives.
The role of European ParliamentIn the end, it has not been almost relevant as far as the process is concerned. The game has been played at other levels. Yes, the exams for future commissioners They also have to do with politics, but not as much as has been shown now. During the day there was some grimace of discontent, and when asked about the situation in the institution they understood that this was not the way to manage a process that, with its tensions, had never raised so much a series of issues that, in short, did not lead to no useful place. “Let’s hope that as the legislature progresses everything will normalize”summarized a source consulted late in the afternoon.
At eleven at night everything was closed with the feeling that the film could have been much shorter. The last step was whether or not to include in the letter – which is sent to Von der Leyen – from Ribera as vice president of Just Transition and Competition the EPP condition that resign if she is charged for her management of DANA. The Social Democrats did not accept that line, so the middle lane was chosen: in the footer each political group put its own observations, with that petition signed by the popular and the radical right. And, again, nothing has happened here.
The new Commission starts in fits and starts, in the absence of a procedure in Strasbourg where each one will have to finish positioning itself. Von der Leyen will now have to ensure that there are no more setbacks. There is nothing to see here, just to see that the soap opera has been only the prologue of a story that could end better. The European Union is taking a risk and political division cannot be a main dish on the menu. “Europe needs stability”Weber warned. Let’s see if it’s true, they think of Brussels… and we’ll see if they also think of Madrid.
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