newsitems EU Vote : Strasbourg's Daul wins 3 landslides, guiding EPP in larger than expected European victory
EU Vote : Strasbourg's Daul wins 3 landslides, guiding EPP in larger than expected European victory
Guiding the largest Group of MEPs to a bigger than expected pan-European victory over exhausted or fragmented competitors, overcoming even the results of a scheduled split, and winning brillant scores at his home town : Strasbourg, region : Alsace, and country : France, Joseph Daul, the President of the European People's Party EPP/ChristianDemocrats, succeeded also to be both present in Brussels and Strasbourg at the same time, thanks to a duplex connexion...
Daul's EPP list got some 28%, clearly distancing PS' 23% in Strasbourg, despite a recently elected Socialist Mayor. More than 29%, compared to PS' less than 17%, in his Constituency : East. Some 33%, (i.e. almost double than "Greens"' 17% who follow), in his Region, Alsace. And his National Party : UMP clearly won in France with 28%, the PS following with only 16%, (equal to "Greens")..
More important, Daul's EPP Group inside EU Parliament, with some 265 MEPs kept a solid 1st place, much Higher than all other Groups, and even augmented its lead over Socialists, who lose many MEPs, falling down to some 160 MEPs only. Thus, he managed to succesfully overcome a scheduled split by British Conservatives and a few others who were added to various Independents at his right : About 90 MEPS searching an attachment. Most of them have already said that they would often vote together, according to selective agreements with the EPP Group.
In fact, it's Daul Group's Solidity, added to EPP candidate MEPs' gains in several EU Countries, which makes of the EPP a kind of "Center of Gravity" in the new EU Parliament (2009-2014), around which, various, more or less close circles of much smaller Groups can float, according to punctual or structural deals.
Many variations become, thus, possible : After losing more than 100 MEPs EU-wide, Socialists, with only 160 MEPs, cannot rely on a tiny (+6) augmentation of the small "Green" group (with only some 51 MEPs), nor on the diminished, 30 MEPs EuroLeft group, to challenge EU Parliament's powers wihout the EPP. But Liberals, despite losing some -20 MEPs, could, theoretically, add their remaining 80 MEPs to EPP's 265 MEPs or so, to get an absolute Majority. Unless EPP's 265-MEPs strong Group succeeds to attract at least some 70 MEPs from Small Groups as UEN, Ind/Dem and various others or Independents, which total more than 145 MEPs in all, to form another Majority, at the center-right..
Wisely, Daul has resisted to Journalists' questions in Strasbourg on who will be the next EU Parliament's President, (while also avoiding questions on EU Commission before June 7), arguying that "we must first see what the final outcome of the (June 2009) Elections will be".
Speculations focused on a choice between an agreement with Socialist Group's leader, Martin Schultz of Germany for a rotating presidency, as previously, or with Liberal Group's leader, Graham Watson from the UK. But other last-minute possibilities cannot be excluded.
If Cameron, the British Conservative party's leader, hadn't been pushed by some to try to make a small split Group out of the EPP (as in a remote Past), then, his MEPs would be Members of a most influential Group in EU Parliament, close to an Absolute Majority (EPP having, in this case, some 360 MEPs out of a total of 736)..
Schultz's confirmation, earlier to "EuroFora", that the PS would like to keep a "technical agreement" of the past with the EPP, (on a rotating chairmanship), wasn't a surprise. EU sources indicated that for the first 2,5 years, among EPP candidates might be vice-presidents Mario Mauro (Italy) or Poland's Buzek, etc., followed by PS' turn.
Watson is focusing on Political aspects : Contrary to usual talk, now, (particurly if Lisbon Treaty enters soon into force), "it's not so much who will be the President of EU Commission, (i.e. Baroso or someone else) which matters. Because EU needs Political leadership from EU Council (i.e. National Governments) and/or EU Parliament", he told "EuroFora".
(See related Newstories on EU Elections at "EuroFora.net")
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Sarkozy and Merkel want deals with Obama on European Security at Strasbourg's NATO 2009 Summit
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In parallel but concording moves, EU Chair, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angie Merkel both invited this week US-President elect, Barack Obama, to discuss important deals breaking new ground on European Security during the NATO's 60 Years Anniversary Summit of Heads of State in Strasbourg, where Obama is expected to make his 1st visit to Europe as a President on April 2009.
Merkel focused mainly on smoother NATO - EU Defence and Security policy cooperation, while Sarkozy spoke about PanEuropean Security, associating both Russia and the USA, proposing to freeze missile and shields' deployement until an agreement is reached.
But both tackled some hard nuts to crack : Turkey's VETO against the participation of EU Member Cyprus to EU-NATO cooperation, and Russia's anouncement on deployment of missiles up to Kaliningrad, at EU's belly, in reply to USA's wish to set up missile shields in EU States such as Poland or Czech Republic, etc.
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- "Certainly...one of the points that we'll dicuss with the New US President", Barak OBAMA, "who will come f'or the 1st time in Europe as president, at the NATO Summit", co-hosted by France and Germany in Strasbourg, ""concerns, above all, the European Security and Defence Policy" (ESDP), and "the relations between NATO and its partners", with whom it should "work together", anounced earlier this week Merkel.
We must find "a reasonable and adequate concept to articulate NATO and European Security and Defense policy", because of a "series of practical issues, sometimes difficult to understand", but that "we must discuss".
- "An example" of that is "the issue of Cyprus and Turkey", said Merkel, where Ankara raises problems "from Kosovo up to Afghanistan", as also CoE's chair, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt recently observed in Strasbourg replying to EuroFora's questions.
- "We must do something to smoothen this problem for good, and not only on a case-by-case basis, laboriously negotiated each time". Here, we must find "a reasonable and adequate concept to articulate NATO and European Security and Defense policy", Merkel stressed.
- "With good will from all sides, it could and should be posible. Germany wants also to help on that". Otherwise, "the coming generations will not understand why it took Decades to do so". But, if we "don't even achieve that for Decades, this would be an Historic Failure !", the German Chancellor warned
- "I think that our American partners are increasingly realizing that", Merkel said, pleading for "a stronger European Security and Defence policy, with which, I believe, the Atlantic Security Partnership can also strengthen and solidify".
Meanwhile, USA is also due to take in 2009 a special status inside EU-led EUROCORPS, the European Army HeadQuarters, based in Strasbourg.
Merkel said that after meeting in Berlin with NATO's Secretary General, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, earlier this week, precisely in order to "prepare NATO's Summit", scheduled for the beginning of April 2009 in Strasbourg.
Scheffe, knows well Strasbourg, since he chaired the CoE, as Holland's Foreign Minister, when he brokered a controversial deal precisely on Turkey and Cyprus about the implementation of ECHR judgements on Greek Cypriot displaced persons' houses and properties in 2003. He returned later at least once, for a WEO meeting at the CoE, where he precisely had highlighted such EU - NATO issues.
EU Commission's 2008 Report on Turkey has just observed that, on European Defense - Security policy, "Turkey continues to object to EU-NATO Cooperation which would involve all EU Member States". "This created Problems for EU-NATO co-operation in the context of Civilian ESDP missions, in particular in Kosovo and Afghanistan".
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French EU Chair, President Sarkozy and Merkel are visiting Washington on Friday and Saturday for a Global G-20 Summit with current US President George Bush, on the sidelines of which are expected preparatory contacts with US President-elect Obama's entourage, even if himself might stay in Chicago until he takes over on January 21.
Before going to Washington, Sarkozy concluded today an UE - Russia Summit with Dmitry Medvedev, where they "spoke in length on PanEuropean Security" :
- As EU President, I proposed that we meet on mid-2009 in a framework such as OSCE's in order to set the foundations of a Future Pan-European Security, which would associate Russia and USA, and that, meanwhile, nobody speaks about deploying missiles or shields, which complicate the situation".
- NATO's Summit in Strasbourg-Kehl, on April 2009 is a perfect occasion to discuss with our American friends and to prepare a possible OSCE Summit for these issues f.ex. for June or July", Sarkozy concluded.
- We must all abstain from Unilateral measures" dangerous for Europe's security. "Russia only reacted to decisions taken by some other countries. But if they are ready to cooperate, we are ready to discuss. EU could be an intermediary", added Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, before going himself too at the Washington G-20 Economic Summit.