(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 18 - The MEPs for Italian Premier Giorgia
Meloni's right-wing Brothers of Italy (FdI) party were among
those who voted against European Commission President Ursula von
der Leyen getting a second term at the helm of the EU executive
on Thursday.
The European Parliament re-elected von der Leyen with 401 votes
in favour, 284 against and 15 abstentions, with seven spoiled
papers, having needed 360.
It had been uncertain until the vote which way the FdI MEPs
would go, although one of them, Nicola Procaccini, had said
the Conservative ECR group FdI belongs to, and which Meloni
chairs, would give the national delegations within it the
freedom to choose how to vote.
The premier was furious that the ECR was left out of the
negotiations for the EU top jobs.
But there had been speculation Meloni might have gotten her MEPs
to vote for von der Leyen and give 'external' support to the new
EU executive if she got policy concessions and Italy were given
a Commissioner with an influential post.
Meloni was reportedly looking for the new Commission to adopt a
tougher stance on migrants, with special focus given to the
Mediterranean, and for changes to the Green Deal, with a more
gradual approach to the ecological transition.
The Commission chief and the Italian premier spoke on the
telephone late on Wednesday, sources said.
Carlo Fidanza, the head of FdI's MEPs, said the right-wing group
had voted against von der Leyen getting a second term because
she hadn't taken in the message from last month's EU elections.
"The choices made (by von der Leyen) in recent days, the
political guidelines, the search for support on the Left, going
as far as the Greens, made our support for the reappointment of
President Ursula von der Leyen impossible," said Fidanza. "The
strong message of change that came out of the ballot box on June
9 has not been heeded".
Fidanza added, however, said that he did not think FdI voting
against a second term for von der Leyen will lead to Italy's new
Commissioner getting a secondary position in the EU executive.
"This does not affect our institutional working relationship,
which we are sure will lead to... an adequate role in the next
commission that Italy deserves," he said.
As expected Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani's
Forza Italia (FI), which is part of von der Leyen's European
People's Party (EPP) party, voted in favour, while fellow
Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's League
voted against.
Salvini said von der Leyen had been re-elected thanks to "yet
another shady deal. "It's another slap in the face with new
green taxes, (migrant) landings and war, and it goes against the
votes of millions of citizens who demanded a clear change in
Brussels," he continued in a social-media post.
"The League voted NO and, along with the Patriots (the
third-biggest group in the European Parliament), will not stand
by watching, it will defend the security, jobs and pride of
Italians at all costs".
Tajani, on the other hand, congratulated von der Leyen.
"Proud of the great team work of the EPP to support your
confirmation at the helm of the European Commission", said the
foreign minister via X, adding that von der Leyen "can always
count" on the support of his Forza Italia party to "build a
Europe that is more competitive, safer and that promotes peace".
Opposition politicians criticised FdI's decision to vote against
von der Leyen.
Former industry minister Carlo Calenda, the leader of the
centrist Azione party, said it was "a serious mistake and
damaging to Italy.
"The way the premier handled this was objectively embarrassing,"
he added.
"The outcome is the decision to place Italy in an anti-European
minority, which increases the isolation of a government that
today already has bad relations with the executives of France,
Spain and Germany.
"The problem is always the same: Meloni never manages to put her
role as Prime Minister ahead of that of party leader". (ANSA).
>>>ANSA/Meloni's FdI votes against von der Leyen re-election
Party confident Italy will still get 'position it deserves'
![(foto: ANSA)](/webimages/img_457x/2024/7/18/df87c55296460315364d319890c21505.jpg)