EPP Group pandering to far-right jeopardises new Commission

On postponed decision-making on Commissioners designate Terry Reintke MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group, comments:

“The EPP’s irresponsible and short sighted political games are jeopardising the democratic alliance of this house. Through their desperation to form unscrupulous alliances with the far-right, the EPP is undermining the democratic process of evaluating the skills of candidate Commissioners. Their cheap politics and shady manoeuvres are creating damaging instability in the EU institutions at a time when the international context has become increasingly hostile to European integration.

“Relevant parts of the EPP have become totally unreliable and divisive. This attitude contrasts bitterly with our position, which has been clear from the outset with all the players: Commissioner Varhelhyi's portfolio must be reshuffled and the Executive Vice-presidency withdrawn from Mr Fitto.”

Bas Eickhout MEP, President of the Greens/EFA Group, comments:

“The pro-European democratic majority has now been put in jeopardy by the EPP’s reckless insistence in supporting a far-right candidate who is not fit to be Executive Vice-President. Raffaele Fitto has clearly demonstrated that he does not uphold the values of the European Union and in his hearing he has shown a complete lack of competence and interest in the topics covered in his portfolio.

“From the start of this new mandate we, the Greens/EFA Group, have expressed our desire to participate in a constructive democratic majority. By voting to reappoint Ursula Von der Leyen as head of the Commission, we have enabled her to be elected by a pro-European majority rooted in democratic values. We call on all democratic groups to come back to the negotiation table and find a compromise that will ensure the Commission can get to work.”