S&D accuses EPP of 'jeopardising' EU as it puts Commission approval at stake
The Socialists and Democrats (S&D) group in the European Parliament accused the European People's Party (EPP) and its president Manfred Weber of "jeopardising" the new European Commission in a statement on Wednesday, putting its vote in Von der Leyen's coalition at stake.
The criticism follows the hearings of the Commissioners-designate in the European Parliament over the past few days. They are unhappy with the way the Spanish socialist Teresa Ribera was attacked on Tuesday evening. The EPP and the far-right group Patriots for Europe accused Ribera, currently Spain's Environment minister, of doing too little to prevent the recent floods in Valencia.
According to the S&D, EPP is abusing the hearings to protect Carlos Mazón, Partido Popular member and the regional president of Valencia. Many Spaniards blame Mazón, whose party belongs to the EPP, for the government's poor response to the floods and lack of coordination.
"The Spanish Partido Popular is trying to make Teresa Ribera the scapegoat for their failure to manage the most catastrophic floods in Europe’s recent history (...) and has effectively taken the EPP hostage, pushing the entire European Union to the brink in the most irresponsible way," the S&D said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The Spanish Partido Popular (...) has effectively taken the EPP hostage, pushing the entire EU to the brink"
The group also accuses the EPP of flouting the democratic agreement between the pro-European groups that approved the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen as Commission president "under the irresponsible behaviour of their group leader Manfred Weber".
Commission approval at risk
This coalition is expected to approve the appointment of the entire Commission. Their approval should come this month, allowing von der Leyen's new team to take office on 1 December. But because of the EPP's stance, that approval is now at risk, the S&D said.
The group also says that before the Commission can be approved, the EPP must explain "why it broke the historic pro-European majority and whether it really wants to side with the far-right populists". Von der Leyen, part of the EPP, will attempt to repair relations with the S&D group on Wednesday.
Spanish Environment minister Ribera during her hearing at the European Parliament © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS LANDEMARD
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