2023-09-27 03:13:14
The established parties would have to address the question of why they have lost large parts of their electorate and why they often vote for right-wing populists. The populist narrative must be countered, said Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, in Brussels on Tuesday. She also spoke out clearly in favor of Romania and Bulgaria joining Schengen. Austria is currently blocking this due to high asylum applications.
With a view to the EU elections next July, Metsola expects a “very difficult” election campaign. You have to understand when many citizens feel left behind and ignored – “in many cases they were,” said the conservative politician from Malta in an interview with journalists from the European Newsroom agency network, which also includes the APA . She still hopes that a “pro-European, constructive” majority will also emerge in the future parliament. She also wants to take part in the elections again.
With regard to the top candidate system, the President of Parliament remains vague. “It’s a very good idea,” says Metsola, who believes that Parliament and the Council should agree on this issue before the election on a common approach after the election. According to the top candidate principle, the post of Commission President should go to the top candidate of the strongest party in the European elections. “Ideally” the next head of the Commission would previously run for a seat in the EU Parliament – but here the EPP politician puts things into perspective: If the current Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (also EPP) runs for the post again, she will do so as an incumbent, not as a candidate for a parliamentary seat.
Metsola was optimistic that the negotiations for a new EU migration and asylum pact will reach an agreement before the election: “I can’t imagine meeting my electorate and saying: Here we are after five years ( …) and haven’t made any progress.” She also advocated starting EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova before the end of the year. How quickly we move forward from then on depends on the progress in the respective countries. But the President of Parliament appeals: “Let us not disappoint the hopes of millions of people who look to Europe as their home.”
Persuasion is also needed when it comes to climate protection. We have to show citizens that the green transformation will also benefit them. “If there is anything that the summer has shown, it is that the climate crisis is real and can only be solved with the right climate policy,” said Metsola, referring to the natural disasters in several EU countries. More financial help is needed for the affected countries.
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