The co-president of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, Nicola Procaccini, foresees a center-right European Commission, but does not prejudge CRE’s support for Ursula von der Leyen.
The next European Commission will be more to the right than the current one. Nicola Procaccini, co-president of the Conservatives and Reformists (CRE) group in the European Parliament, is convinced of this.
Campaigning for the European elections in June, the far-right MEP is critical of numerous initiatives taken over the past five years by the European Commission, supported by the European People’s Party (EPP), the Social Democrats (S&D) and the Liberals, which he considers to be too much “leftists“. Nicola Procaccini remains skeptical about the line defended by Ursula von der Leyen, but he denounces in particular the choices of the former vice-president of the Commission in charge of the climate, the Dutchman Frans Timmermans.
“Timmermans had even more power than Ursula von der Leyen, since he could implement the Commission’s main program: the Green Deal. Fortunately, this will no longer be possible, because whatever the outcome of the European elections, we already know that the next European Commission will be center-right, because commissioners are appointed by governments, not elections, and governments are center-right“, explains Nicola Procaccini.
The CRE group has not designated a head of list for the European elections because it does not believe in the Spitzenkandidat system (the heads of the European lists should be the candidates for the presidency of the Commission). He believes that only governments should have a say in this choice.
However, Nicola Procaccini did not want to comment on whether CRE would support Ursula von der Leyen or another EPP candidate in the next legislature. Such support could open the door to a majority in the next European Parliament with the radical right party.
“This is something that we have to look at based on the balance of power, because they could be led to support one of our candidates“, warns the MEP.
The objectives of European conservatives and reformists
For Nicola Procaccini, the cessation of irregular immigration must be the first objective of the next legislature of his political group. It also rejects the “Eurosceptic” label, despite the anti-European discourse of the nationalist and far-right parties that make it up, such as Fratelli d’Italia, Vox (Spain) and Law and Justice (PiS) (Poland).
“We are the ones who want to return to the original idea of the European Union, which is an alliance of nations that do some things together, but that are important, that do those things that nation states alone would not be able to do. at their best“, specifies Nicola Procaccini.
Fratelli d’Italia MEP reiterates his total opposition to any progress in European integration, and defends the right of veto of nation states, while showing himself favorable to the issuance of a common debt.
Regarding the future of his party, which will most likely become the first within CRE, he is clear: Fratelli d’Italia will not join the European People’s Party.