Madrid/Brussels – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has voiced his support for Italy’s candidate for the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto. He emphasized that every European Union member state “has the right to a commissioner” and that the selection is within each country’s purview.
Sánchez’s backing of the candidate put forth by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni could help resolve tensions after the Spanish People’s Party (PP) threatened to block the new commission unless Spanish Vice President Teresa Ribera withdrew her candidacy, criticizing her handling of the devastating DANA weather event that impacted Valencia.
During a press conference following the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Sánchez stated, “All member countries of the European Union have the right to have a commissioner… that is what the treaties stipulate and it must be respected.” He clarified that the Spanish socialists would not attempt to veto Meloni’s nominee if the PP persists in opposing Ribera.
Sánchez reiterated that each nation is responsible for selecting its commissioner candidate, recalling prior instances where Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was voted upon. “This is how Europe operates,” he pointed out, asserting that no fundamental agreements should be disregarded and that the treaties must be upheld.
He underscored the urgency of establishing a fully functional European Commission to effectively address global challenges. However, he highlighted the necessity of preserving the current agreement among the three major political families in the EU—the conservatives, socialists, and liberals—and insisted it should be honored.
Sánchez also criticized PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo for conflating the tragedy in Valencia with negotiations in Brussels. He acknowledged Feijóo’s right to defend the actions of Valencia’s President, Carlos Mazón, concerning the DANA but stressed that it cannot be done at the expense of the state.
Furthermore, Sánchez accused Feijóo of questioning “the competencies of each establishment in an autonomous state” by using the first vice presidency of the European Commission—awarded to Spain and Ribera—against Spain and the EU.
He concluded by urging Feijóo to adopt a more mature political approach characterized by “moderation, rationality, and a sense of state.” The Prime Minister expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations in Brussels yielding positive results soon, stating both Europe and Spain are in need of progress.
As Sánchez addressed the media in Rio, discussions commenced in Brussels among leaders from the three principal groups in the European Parliament—Manfred Weber (European People’s Party), Iratxe García (Socialists and Democrats), and Valérie Hayer (Renew Europe)—to find common ground for approving the new European Commission.
Weber confirmed to reporters that “there is currently no agreement among the political groups,” yet talks are ongoing to assess the socialists’ stance on Fitto and to address various issues.
In alignment with the directives of the Spanish PP, the European People’s Party has stipulated that Minister Ribera must account for her actions related to the DANA before the Congress of Deputies, which is set to occur on Wednesday. They have also insisted that she may need to resign if her management is subjected to judicial review.
As stakeholders await the outcomes of the tripartite discussions, each political group will convene on Wednesday morning to review progress in the evaluation process of the six vice-presidents nominated by Ursula von der Leyen for her upcoming Commission, including Ribera and Fitto.
The candidate evaluations by the relevant committees are crucial for the Conference of Presidents, which gathers the heads of all groups and will convene on Wednesday at 5 p.m. to outline the agenda for the following week’s plenary session. This session will finalize the proposal for a vote by the plenary on the approval or rejection of the College of Commissioners as a whole.
This upcoming vote will not allow for the individual approval or rejection of commissioners and is tentatively scheduled for November 27, aiming for the new Commission to take office on December 1.
Key to advancing this process will be aligning on a “pro-European” agenda for the new legislature, following last July’s agreement that enabled von der Leyen to renew her mandate with the European Parliament, supported by these groups. However, negotiation sources indicate that there are discussions about putting this commitment into a written document, a notion the European People’s Party is cautiously considering. (November 19)
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