Nicolas Schmitt (Luxembourg) PSE candidate for the European Commission, but Ursula will lead it
The outgoing EU labor commissioner Nicolas Schmitt (Luxembourgish) for the Party of European Socialists (PES) e Ursula von der Leyen, outgoing President of the Commission, for the European People's Party (EPP). They will be the main “Spitzenkandidat” (candidates of European parties and groups) in the elections on 8-9 June. Schmitt's candidacy will be launched Elly Schlein at the Nuvola di Fuksas, in Rome, tonight with dinner and above all tomorrow (key day) where the secretary of the Democratic Party will launch the campaign for the European elections, alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and other leaders European socialists who will be in the capital for the PSE Congress.
The Greens will probably also indicate their candidate, almost certainly an Austrian or German woman (where the environmentalist and ecologist party is stronger in terms of consensus). But for example the Reformist Conservatives (ECR) led by Giorgia Meloni they will not nominate any candidate for the presidency of the European Commission. Officially because – explain Fratelli d'Italia sources – “we do not agree with the “Spitzenkandidat” procedure, since the treaties say that it is up to the Council to indicate the president of the European Commission. The same decision will also be made Identity and Democracy, the Lega group, Marine Le Pen and Afd. The Prime Minister, who has forged a strong political and personal bond with Von der Leyen, will almost certainly not vote against an encore of Ursula and, barring surprises, despite the vote against of his ECR allies (such as the Poles of the Pis and the Hungarians of Orban) he will abstain to maintain good relations with the EU institutions given all the open dossiers, from the Pnrr to the banking union from the reform of the Stability and Growth Pact up to the issue of migrants and the defense of external borders. But in the end FdI's vote could also be in favour, it will depend on Ursula's agenda and the attitude of the PPE.
But Schlein, who today claims to be in opposition to Ursula and to propose a left-wing alternative and who will never form alliances with Meloni in Europe, will inevitably end up voting for Von der Leyen's encore given that all European polls show the EPP clearly in the first group in the next EuroChamber with a large advantage over the PSE. There is no doubt about this. Officially the Democratic Party denies it, but the majority a Brussels it's at Strasbourg will again be that of the legislature that is ending, therefore EPP, PSE and liberals led by Emmanuel Macron, considering the fact that the EPP absolutely does not want alliances with the extreme right, especially after the death of Navalny in Russia, and therefore the numbers lead to the so-called Great Coalition (or Ursula majority).
The PSE congress in Rome, which will elect the Luxembourger Nicolas Schmit “Spitzenkandidat” socialist for the EU Commission, began with a joint homage from the leaders of the PSE, Pd and Psi to the Lungotevere stele Arnold of Brescia to commemorate the murder a century ago of Giacomo Matteotti by the fascists. The young European socialists (Yes) are now organizing their electoral campaign for the European elections. Young people from all over Europe are gathered in the room on the top floor of the Nazarene. A seminar on the future of the Balkans from a European perspective is about to be held at the PSI headquarters. Tomorrow at the Nuvola dell'Eur the highlight with the election of Schmit in the presence of the European socialist prime ministers (Scholz, Sanchez, Costa, Frederiksen, Ciolacu), the leaders of the socialist parties from all over Europe (including the Italians Schlein and Maraio), the President of the PSE Lofven, the socialist commissioners of the EU (including Gentiloni).
At the congress of European Socialist Party (1,000 delegates from across the European Union are expected in Rome) the leader of the Democratic Party will be identity-oriented and will criticize the management of Ursula and the EPP, proposing a turning point with support for Luxembourg's Schmitt. But in the end, after the elections in early June, she will vote in favor of Von der Leyen. Unavoidable. Also because Ursula is German like Olaf Scholz, Chancellor in charge of Berlin and leader of the SPD. And if in the end Meloni decides to vote in favor and not to abstain, a vote against is impossible, the prime minister and Schlein would find themselves allies in Brussels and Strasbourg. Although both today strongly deny this scenario.
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