Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s party Fratelli D’Italia (Brothers of Italy) voted against a second term for Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission, one of the party’s leading MEPs told reporters July 18.
“Voting for Ursula von der Leyen would have meant betraying some of our principles,” said Nicola Procaccini, co-chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group which has Meloni as its president.
The European Parliament, with 720 members, approved von der Leyen with 401 votes in favour, 284 against, and 15 abstentions. She needed 361 votes to secure her position.
The 40-seat margin, though narrow, was larger than her nine-seat victory in 2019.
Meloni’s party holds 24 European Parliament seats.
The European People’s Party, the Socialists, Renew Europe, and the Greens collectively hold 454 votes.
Various sources within the ECR group and Meloni’s party suggested several days ago that they could have supported von der Leyen’s re-election if they succeeded in gaining particular positions of influence.
Meloni allegedly secured the role of Commissioner for Bureaucracy at the last European Council meeting following the June elections.
The ECR group also obtained a vice-presidency July 17 when the European Parliament was formed, meaning the group would not be subjected to a ‘cordon sanitaire’ as it was in the previous term.
With the presence of Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations, the ECR group finds it easier to strengthen its ties with the EPP.
This relationship also benefits von der Leyen, as potential betrayal by the Left could force her to rely on some ECR members.
NEW: Ursula von der Leyen has been reappointed as the European Commission president, with a revolt by several MEPs not being enough to unseat the German politician. https://t.co/ddrDZ61j6p
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 18, 2024
