The European Greens led by German MEP Terry Reintke and Dutch MEP Bas Eickhout released their analysis of the group’s results in the European Parliament elections, stating: “It’s not a defeat, it’s a correction.”
According to the duo, the European Greens lost “in the two main countries, France and Germany”, but were “happy” to have “grown in Eastern and Southern Europe”.
The Greens are one of the groups, together with Renew Liberal group that lost the most, dropping from a 10.1 per cent score in 2019 to 7.4 per cent this year.
The Liberals fell from 14.2 per cent to 11 per cent.
On June 12, when asked about their next steps, the pair made it clear that “the red line is the hard-right”, referring to the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Identity and Democracy (ID) groups.
Reintke and Eickhout have offered to be part of a coalition of four parties: The European People’s Party (EPP), Socialists and Democrats (S&D), The Left and The Greens. All except ECR and ID, in fact.
“Pro-European, pro-democratic and pro-Ukraine parties,” Eickhout clarified.
Despite being questioned several times about their current relationship with the Ursula von der Leyen, now gunning for a second stint as European Commission President, they did not disclose any details.
Reintke merely noted: “We are in talks.”
According to the European Greens, “being part of governments” hurt the group. The economic and energy crises generated by Russia’s war in Ukraine had, they said, hit the Greens’ credibility somewhat.
