in-cyprus 19 July 2024
Of the six Cypriot Members of the European Parliament, two have voiced their support for the European Council’s proposal to reappoint Ursula von der Leyen as the President of the European Commission. In contrast, three MEPs have declared their intention to vote against her, while one remains undecided as the vote draws near.
Loucas Fourlas and Michael Hadjipantela, MEPs from the European People’s Party (EPP), have expressed their backing for von der Leyen to continue in her role. Hadjipantela, in a conversation with journalists, shared that he found her views convincing and noted several areas of agreement.
Firstly, he highlighted her positions on migration, particularly as they relate to Cyprus, describing them as “excellent.” He drew attention to her visit to Lebanon, after which, he claimed, migrant flows to the island nation decreased significantly.
Secondly, Hadjipantela mentioned von der Leyen’s promise to appoint a Commissioner for Agriculture affiliated with the EPP, addressing the concerns of EPP MEPs who had advocated for greater representation in the Commission.
Thirdly, he touched on the topic of a common defence policy, stating that von der Leyen’s primary goal is to establish an EU-wide defence umbrella. This includes her proposal to create a dedicated defence portfolio for a Commissioner, with the aim of enhancing military cooperation among member states.
Hadjipantela further noted the risk of instability for Europe, and specifically for Cyprus, should von der Leyen fail to secure a majority vote. He argued that rejecting her candidacy at this juncture could disrupt the delicate balance of the agreement among various political groups regarding the distribution of key EU leadership positions.
On the other hand, Giorgos Georgiou, a left-wing MEP, has firmly stated that he will not support von der Leyen’s bid for reelection.
He referenced accusations levelled against her by the EU itself, High Representative Josep Borrell, and even her own party, the EPP, regarding her biased and unilateral approach toward the Israel-Palestine conflict, favouring Israel.
Additionally, MEP Georgiou brought up several pressing issues facing Europe, including poverty, housing crises, shortcomings in healthcare and education, and von der Leyen’s controversial decision to spend €35 billion on vaccines outside of the usual procurement procedures, resulting in €4 million worth of vaccines going to waste.
He characterised this as a tremendous waste of resources, contrasting it with her reluctance to provide more financial support for farmers facing economic challenges.
Furthermore, Georgiou mentioned the ‘Green Transition,’ a key initiative von der Leyen had initially touted as her primary goal during her first term. However, he argued that her focus has since shifted to issues like war, weapons, and the increasing ‘NATO-isation’ of Europe, which he sees as a step away from her initial promises.
Finally, he added that regarding the rise of the far-right in Europe, von der Leyen “was not particularly moved” when she appealed to the ECR and other far-right groups to vote for her election. He noted that the far-right finds fertile ground in the neoliberal policies that she herself follows.
Costas Mavrides, an MEP from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), based on information available as of Thursday when he spoke to journalists, indicated that he was expected to vote against von der Leyen’s reelection. “While our group will officially support her, I chose to be honest about my personal stance,” he said.
However, he conveyed the dilemma faced by a portion of the S&D group, questioning who the alternative candidate would be if von der Leyen fails to secure a majority. He acknowledged the uncertainty within his political group regarding the best path forward.
Independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou took a new approach by conducting an online poll to gauge public support for von der Leyen’s candidacy.
Speaking to CNA and philenews, he shared that 300,000 people participated, of whom 85% were European citizens, and a significant 75% expressed their opposition to her reelection.
“Don’t you find it strange that she is poised to be elected even though a majority of Europeans who participated in the poll do not support her?” he asked.
When asked if he would abide by the poll’s result, Panayiotou asserted that he would respect the will of the people who participated. In response to a question about his personal opinion, he confirmed that he, too, would not vote for her. He added that if he had a positive view of her candidacy, he would not have conducted the poll in the first place.
Panayiotou further explained that he wanted to highlight the disconnect between the public’s disapproval of von der Leyen and the potential for her reelection, suggesting that his move was a strategic play to challenge her candidacy and bring attention to the voices of European citizens.
Geadis Geadi, an MEP from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), stated that he is leaning toward voting against von der Leyen’s candidacy, though he remains deeply conflicted. He mentioned that while his political group, the ECR, is also moving toward rejection, they are granting their members the freedom to decide based on their national interests and priorities.
While Geadi disagrees with von der Leyen’s policies and her handling of certain issues, he is concerned about the potential alternative candidate should she fail to secure a majority.
He also worries about the period of instability that could follow and the fact that the Cypriot government currently enjoys direct access to von der Leyen, which may not be the case with a new Commission President.
