The European Parliament will not hold a vote on José Manuel Barroso's re-appointment as Commission president at its July plenary, it emerged yesterday (1 July) after the liberals and socialists agreed to wait until the second Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty this autumn. Guy Verhofstadt, the new leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), said his group will oppose holding a vote on Barroso's re-appointment during the Parliament's opening plenary session on 15 July (EurActiv 25/06/09). The former Belgian prime minister, who was elected unopposed as ALDE leader on Tuesday, said he and his group will "not accept timetables imposed on Parliament," dealing a blow to the centre-right EPP group and the Swedish EU Presidency who were pushing for a quick decision on the new Commission President. Earlier, the Greens group had announced that they would oppose a July vote on Barroso, joining calls made on 18 June by the socialists. Unless positions change, it therefore appears that there will be no majority for putting a vote on the Parliament's agenda when the Assembly's political group leaders meet on 9 July to discuss the issue.
Guy Verhofstadt, the new leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), said his group will oppose holding a vote on Barroso's re-appointment during the Parliament's opening plenary session on 15 July (EurActiv 25/06/09).
The former Belgian prime minister, who was elected unopposed as ALDE leader on Tuesday, said he and his group will "not accept timetables imposed on Parliament," dealing a blow to the centre-right EPP group and the Swedish EU Presidency who were pushing for a quick decision on the new Commission President.
Earlier, the Greens group had announced that they would oppose a July vote on Barroso, joining calls made on 18 June by the socialists.
Unless positions change, it therefore appears that there will be no majority for putting a vote on the Parliament's agenda when the Assembly's political group leaders meet on 9 July to discuss the issue.
Sweden plays for time to win early Barroso vote | Policies | EU governance | Commission | European Voice
The European People's Party (EPP) is still pushing for a vote in July. French MEP Joseph Daul, who was re-elected EPP president on 23 June by an overwhelming majority, said that the vote should take place in July. "We need to know who is going to be the president of the Commission. The presidency must be stabilised in a crisis period," Daul said.But although the EPP remains the largest group in the new Parliament, with 264 members, it has also lost members to the new right-wing group. Cecilia Malmström, Sweden's EU affairs minister, said in Brussels, on Monday (21 June): "Waiting until October for a leader of the Commission would leave us in a power vacuum. This would be very unfortunate for the whole European Union."
"We need to know who is going to be the president of the Commission. The presidency must be stabilised in a crisis period," Daul said.But although the EPP remains the largest group in the new Parliament, with 264 members, it has also lost members to the new right-wing group.
Cecilia Malmström, Sweden's EU affairs minister, said in Brussels, on Monday (21 June): "Waiting until October for a leader of the Commission would leave us in a power vacuum. This would be very unfortunate for the whole European Union."
