Valerie Hayer, the head of the Renew Europe liberal group in the European Parliament, called for an agreement among the three main political groups in Europe to prevent the influence of right-wingers in the 2024 elections. Hayer emphasized that this is the only way to present a stronger and more ambitious Europe for citizens.
Efforts to Revive the Centrist Coalition
Since the shift of the European Parliament to the right in the 2024 elections, the European People's Party (EPP), which is the largest group in this Parliament, has collaborated with right-wing and extremist groups. This trend has caused dissatisfaction among traditional liberal and socialist partners. Hayer stated that the priority of Renew Europe before the next European Union elections in 2029 is to revive the centrist coalition.
Read more: Slovakia resumes cooperation with Russia
In a phone conversation after the gathering of European liberals, Hayer said: "We need a strong centrist platform to address important issues for Europeans such as competition, defense, climate change, and carbon reduction." She referred to national elections in major EU countries and added: "We must be prepared for this new election period."
Coalition Agreement and Voting
To maintain a centrist majority, Hayer called for a precise coalition agreement among the three main political groups. The European People's Party has primarily voted with its centrist partners in the first half of the current term, but at times has leaned right to pass legislation.
Hayer stated that Renew Europe will not support any candidate for the presidency of the Parliament without a prior agreement on a coalition deal. She said: "A majority must have a program before needing a president, so we need a coalition agreement before any leadership agreement."
This may draw the European People's Party to the negotiating table, as right-wingers want Roberta Metsola to be re-elected for a third term in January. However, the EPP has previously shown reluctance to sign a precise coalition agreement.
Hayer and the leaders of the European People's Party (Manfred Weber) and the Socialists and Democrats (Iratxe Garcia) have already signed a two-page agreement for cooperation after the 2024 elections, yet the European People's Party has continued to vote on legislation with right-wing groups.
To prevent this from happening, Hayer insists that not only leaders but all "key members" of the groups, including deputies, coordinators, and other officials, negotiate and approve the agreement.
She said: "I want us to be very specific; we need a medium-term agreement that commits us to implementing the budget and laws related to the IAA, which refers to the industrial acceleration plan." Hayer also wants right-wingers to be sidelined from positions of power in the Parliament, including vice presidencies.
Hayer also emphasized the need for cooperation between commissioners and groups before proposing new laws so that they can discuss and reach preliminary agreements on important issues.
In response to the question of whether she trusts Weber to adhere to the agreement, Hayer said: "We work together every day" and added that any agreement "must be done fairly and honestly." She also urged socialists to act constructively in the negotiations.
Read more: Antonio Costa holds a new meeting for agreement on the EU budget
