Document: Right-Wing Majorities in European Parliament to Remain Permitted

In exchange for backing Italy’s far-right commissioner nominee, Raffaele Fitto, which the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) initially opposed, both S&D and Renew demanded that the European People’s Party (EPP) commit to maintaining its alignment with the centrist mainstream majority in the European Parliament, instead of pivoting toward a more right-wing coalition.

However, the resulting agreement falls short of solidifying this commitment and doesn’t introduce any notable shift in the dynamics between the three groups.

The diluted declaration primarily focuses on general goals for the next five years, drawing inspiration from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s June investiture speech.

In the declaration, the three political groups agree “to cooperate” and “reaffirm” their “pledge to work together with a constructive approach.”

It is important to note that formal coalitions do not exist in the European Parliament, as the government—in this case, the European Commission—does not require a stable majority from lawmakers to remain in power.

While these three centrist groups have helped keep the European Union stable in recent years by often collaborating to pass legislation, majorities in Parliament are usually determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the specific issue at hand.