Scholz cautions Leyen against seeking re-election with aid from right-wing figures.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has cautioned Commission President Ursula von der Leyen against being re-elected by far-right or populist parties in the European Parliament (EP). The SPD maintains their commitment to the lead candidate principle, stating, "We'll always make that possible," during a speech at the SPD's Spargelfahrt in Berlin on Tuesday night. It's agreed between center parties that the strongest EP faction should head the next commission. However, Scholz stressed, "A Commission President or President must always rely on democratic European parties." This encompasses conservatives, social democrats, liberals, and also greens.
He commented, "No right-wing or right-wing populist parties should be involved." He emphasized this point as he feels it's not taken seriously. "That's my seriousness," he added. Germans are responsible for ensuring Europe is well-governed after the European election, and according to Scholz, "We won't put this principle at risk." While he didn't detail what this would mean for voting, Scholz's words come as the conservative party family EVP, which includes CDU and CSU, hasn't ruled out the possibility of von der Leyen being elected with support from, say, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's party. The Italian party belongs to the right-wing extremist ECR group in the EP, alongside the national-conservative Polish PiS and the Swedish Democrats. The social democratic party family SPE has indicated they won't vote for von der Leyen if she courts the ECR.
In response, the Union party has expressed uncertainty about whether von der Leyen will secure enough votes from conservatives, social democrats, and liberals, thus considering other options. The potential inclusion of right-wing parties has been widely criticized by many, leading Scholz to stress the importance of keeping Europe's wellbeing at the forefront of decision-making.
