What will happen between von der Leyen and Meloni
The vote for the reconfirmation of Ursula von der Leyen and the match of the European commissioners. Guiglia's notebook
Ursula 2 revenge? This is the worrying question that hovers in Italian politics after the reconfirmation of Ursula von der Leyen at the top of the European Commission, despite the vote against expressed by the MEPs of Fratelli d'Italia following precise indications from Giorgia Meloni, i.e. the head of the government of the Italian Republic .
Now that the game opens on the commissioners of the 27 countries who will have to support the work of the re-elected president for five years, there are fears of negative repercussions for Italy, which requires an economic department worthy of its weight (second manufacturing industry and third economy on the continent , as well as a founding country of the EU), and an executive vice-president.
But are we stronger or weaker with Ursula von der Leyen called to choose the commissioners and assign them technical roles?
If we were to think in the wake of the vote in the European Parliament, where two of the three parties of the Italian government (Fratelli d'Italia and Lega) voted against Ursula, spite is guaranteed. And the favorable votes expressed by Forza Italia led by Antonio Tajani, who is still vice-president of the Council and Foreign Minister, would be of little use, as would the good personal relationships that Ursula and Giorgia have built over almost two years of meetings, travel and shared political-institutional activity.
But precisely because the reconfirmed president has no political debt towards Giorgia Meloni, and to make the European government machine work as best as possible in the name of the ambitious objectives indicated in her proud speech to the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen has all the interest not in punishing, but in enhancing Italy's role. Also to give a lesson to the incomprehensible no from Giorgia Meloni, who had previously benevolently abstained on the nomination of Ursula decided by the European Council.
On the other hand, the reconfirmed president has never shown any prejudice for Italy so far, recently calling none other than Mario Draghi to draw up a decisive report on European competitiveness.
Nor can the program of the, moreover, "popular" von der Leyen be judged "left-wing", which as happens in these cases, in reality turned out to be ecumenical, opening up to the greens on the so-called "green deal" (and in fact the greens l 'they voted), but also to the conservatives on immigration, the Mediterranean and border security (but the right and the League did not vote for it).
Sometimes political coherence risks turning into institutional incoherence and confusing the plans between the European leadership – Giorgia Meloni is the point of reference for the conservative group in Strasbourg – and the Presidency of the Council in Italy. A short circuit that could have been avoided without unnecessary political resentment.
But between people of common sense and in the exclusive interest of Europe it should not and must not compromise the good name and good reasons of Italy.
(Published in L'Arena di Verona, Il Giornale di Vicenza, Bresciaoggi and Gazzetta di Mantova)
www.federicoguiglia.com
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/meloni-von-der-leyen-commissario-italia/ on Mon, 22 Jul 2024 05:33:55 +0000.