By Laura Gozzi, BBC Information
ReutersMembers of the European Parliament (MEPs) determine on Thursday whether or not at hand Ursula von der Leyen a second time period as European Fee president.
Regardless of Ms von der Leyen’s latest efforts to shore up assist, the result of the vote – as a result of happen on the European Parliament in Brussels at 13:00 (11:00 GMT) – is way from sure.
European leaders officially nominated Ms von der Leyen at a summit in Brussels on the finish of June.
The choice got here regardless of resistance from Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who abstained from the vote after accusing fellow EU leaders of excluding events like her personal from the dialog.
Ms von der Leyen, who has had the job of Fee president since 2019, will want 361 votes as a way to be confirmed for a second time period.
Help from her personal centre-right European Folks’s Social gathering (EPP), the Socialists & Democrats and the liberal Renew ought to give her sufficient votes.
However what makes issues doubtlessly difficult is that the vote is secret – that means MEPs can solid ballots in keeping with their inclinations quite than the declared celebration line.
A number of Irish MEPs belonging to centrist events have mentioned they might vote in opposition to Ms von der Leyen’s nomination due to her stance on the conflict in Gaza. Some French MEPs belonging to Ms von der Leyen’s personal EPP grouping have additionally mentioned they will not assist her.
To restrict the potential for unwelcome surprises, over the previous few weeks Ms von der Leyen has held personal conferences with some parliamentary groupings in an try and safe their votes.
Her bid has not all the time been profitable. After one such assembly, MEPs belonging to the Left grouping mentioned they’d determined to not vote for Ms von der Leyen as a result of her willingness to extend army and defence spending.
She additionally met with the Greens and acquired optimistic indicators – though some MEPs mentioned they might wait to listen to Ms von der Leyen’s speech on Thursday earlier than making a remaining resolution.
She reportedly managed to persuade some members of the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) to again her, though the Romanian, French and Polish delegations have mentioned they might vote in opposition to her.
The Italian prime minister, who leads the ECR, can also be mentioned to be holding off on making a choice on how she is going to instruct her 24 Italian MEPs to vote till after Ms von der Leyen’s handle.
Nevertheless, in keeping with Italian media she is leaning in the direction of endorsing Ms von der Leyen in trade for Italy being provided a senior job within the subsequent Fee – such because the coveted financial system or competitors portfolios.
Ms Meloni, who heads the far-right Brothers of Italy celebration, has gained a distinguished standing amongst European right-wingers.
Getty PhotographsThe third largest group in Parliament, the newly shaped Patriots for Europe, has refused to again Ms von der Leyen. Shaped by Hungary’s Viktor Orban, it contains the leaders of far-right events in France, Austria and the Netherlands.
If Ms von der Leyen doesn’t go as we speak’s European Parliament vote, the EU will probably be again to sq. one, with leaders having to agree on a brand new candidate who would then should be accredited by the Parliament.
Though names have been floated, no apparent different candidate has emerged up to now.
Ms von der Leyen gained the job 5 years in the past, when her title was put ahead by EU leaders in a last-minute deal after a political stalemate over different contenders.
On the time, she was voted in with solely 9 votes over the required majority. Thursday’s vote would possibly find yourself being simply as shut.
