European Parliament. Four candidates to the roost. Three women, one favorite
(B2) The stage is set for the renewal of the presidency of the European Parliament. This mid-term institutional meeting is no less highly political.
- MEPs decide on Tuesday (January 18), by a vote in plenary.
- The election takes place by absolute majority of valid votes, i.e. 50% of the votes plus one, by secret ballot, until the third round if necessary. If a fourth round is necessary, only the two candidates with the most votes will participate. The one who receives the most votes will win.
- The election of the 14 vice-presidents and 5 quaestors will follow. From Monday January 24, it will be the turn of the parliamentary committees and delegations to renew their president and vice-presidents.

The favorite, Roberta Metsola
In the corridors of Parliament in Brussels, there is no longer any doubt about this. It is a woman who will be elected at the head of the European institution for the second part of the mandate (2019-2024). Of the four candidates submitted on Friday (January 14), three are women. Among them, that of the center-right group of the EPP, the first group of importance (in number of MEPs): Roberta Metsola. She has been campaigning for several weeks. It is the favorite, a political agreement between the majority groups that the mid-term presidency allows for alternating political colors. In this case, therefore moving from the left (S&D) since 2019 with David Maria Sassoli, to the right (PPE) for the second part of the mandate (2022-2024).
A female candidate but not feminist enough?
Despite everything, his name is far from unanimous. His hearings by the various groups were not enough to erase the reluctance linked to his anti-abortion positions. “ It is true that it would be an honor to have a woman as President of the European Parliament. But that is not enough », slipped the Portuguese Margarida Marques (S&D). " Roberta Metsola's position on women's rights does not reassure us. She voted against abortion and refused any legislation on women's sexual and reproductive health ».
The political agreement still under negotiation
The leader of the Social Democrats, Iratxe Garcia Perez, repeated it on Friday morning: “ After hearing from the candidates this week, we remain committed to building a pro-European majority that will allow Parliament to function with responsibility and stability, but our group must be properly represented in the house. We are also always seeking assurance that the next Speaker of Parliament will promote an agenda in line with our priorities and values. For the moment, nothing has been decided. »
The choice of no choice? Unless…
The Social Democrats of the S&D and the centrist Liberals of Renew did not present a candidate. Due to the lack of an obvious personality for the former. In keeping with the commitments made at the beginning of the mandate for the latter, namely a political agreement on alternation at mid-term. But the possibility of a last-minute candidacy hovered on Friday like an insistent rumor on the S&D side — knowing that candidacies can still be submitted until Monday 17 p.m. Nothing tangible, however. This hypothesis, however, testified to the feverishness and tension surrounding this famous political agreement sought between the three "big ones" (EPP, S&D and Renew). Still under negotiation.

The surprise candidacy of the Greens
The group of Greens/EFA ecologists has decided to " Spice up » the ballot by proposing a candidate at the last moment (Carnet du 13.01.22). The decision was taken on Tuesday evening (January 11) in a group meeting.
« Building a more feminist, sustainable and democratic European Parliament ". This is the catchphrase of the one who was chosen for this mission, Alice Bah Kuhnke. The Swede, vice-president of the group, is a member in particular of the LIBE (public liberties) commission on which Roberta Metsola also sits. His voice is known to be calm, “ in the image of the deceased president David Sassoli “Slips a knowledgeable source.
The nationalist right has lost its battle

The attempts to build a 'super' parliamentary group born from the breakup of the current groups (ID, ECR and non-registered) failed to see the light of day (Note du 7.12.21). The ID and ECR groups remain separate. Nullifying any ambition for the ID group to claim representation within the presidency of Parliament by opposing the number to the rule which has prevailed until now between the three 'big' ones, namely the exclusion of the extreme right from positions to responsibility. This indeed remains one of the conditions of the alliance, recalled by Renew. Because " lNationalists, who despise our common values, have no place in this system ". Only the conservatives (ECR) present a candidate. Poland's Kosma Zlotowski takes on the role.

The third woman from the left
The Spaniard Sira Rego is running for the radical left (GUE). As she did in 2019 at the start of the mandate. Nomination " resolutely feminist “, puts forward the French Manon Aubry, co-president of the group, as if to confront the anti-abortion positions of Roberta Metsola.
A very political election
The death of the outgoing S&D president, the Italian David Maria Sassoli, certainly stifled the jousts of a bereaved and pained parliamentary return. The vote remains no less political. The outcome will determine whether the European Parliament will be able to count on a strong political line for the end of the mandate, depending on a political agreement between the three groups, or whether the political alliances will have to be recomposed. The stakes for the European institution, the only one directly elected by citizens, are no less. It is about its political influence vis-à-vis the European Council and the European Commission…
(Emmanuelle Stoesser)