ECR undecided ahead of von der Leyen's reelection vote

The debate over Ursula von der Leyen’s re-election as president of the European Commission has heated up across European capitals — and Rome in particular.

As things stand, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni — who is also the president of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR) — remains undecided over whether to give von der Leyen her backing.

The commission chief held a 50-minute meeting with the ECR parliamentary group on Tuesday morning, at which Meloni’s Brothers of Italy reportedly requested a radical change in the EU’s approach to the Green Deal.

No official statement was issued at the end of the meeting, meaning that for now, the ECR’s stance on von der Leyen’s reelection is not clear.

According to Gaetano Quagliariello, Head of the School of Government at the Luiss University in Rome, von der Leyen needs the support of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party if she is to continue in post.

“I think Italy’s PM is able to influence at least part of the ECR,” Quagliariello said — adding that given Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Spanish party Vox have left the group, Meloni will find it easier to convince those who remain should she decide to give von der Leyen her support.

Meloni seeks top commissioner job for Italy

As far as Meloni is concerned, a key bone of contention in the ongoing negotiations is the appointment of an Italian commissioner to a sufficiently prominent role.

Speaking at the recent NATO summit in Washington, Meloni — who in June abstained from the vote to back von der Leyen’s reelection — stated that she wants Italy’s prominence in the EU to be recognised and that she intends to secure a top spot for Rome in the EU Commission.

Should Meloni and the ECR decline to back von der Leyen, the implications could be serious.

According to Antonio Parenti, the European Commission representative in Italy, given the difficult times that lie ahead, the vote must ensure Europe doesn’t plunge into a political crisis.

“Both Italy and other EU countries have to ensure this vote allows EU institutions to be fully operational,” Parenti said. “Let’s not forget that the historic moment we face is very volatile.”

“We have a war on our doorstep, and even what happened in the US a few days ago makes us understand we are not going through an easy time.”