S&D may refuse to cooperate with the EPP and initiate a vote of no confidence in von der Leyen

Brief retelling from RIA II

The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) may completely abandon cooperation with the European People's Party (EPP) and support or initiate a vote of no confidence in the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

S&D demands that EPP leader Manfred Weber publicly confirm his willingness to work with the centrist factions on the basis of common priorities and agreed principles.

Informal negotiations have already begun between the leaders of the EPP, S&D, liberal Renew and the Greens on the redistribution of leadership positions in the middle of the European Parliament's term, scheduled for January 2027.

BRUSSELS, Oct 5 - RIA Novosti. The second largest faction in the European Parliament, the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), which has 136 seats, may completely refuse to cooperate with the largest faction, the European People's Party (EPP), and also does not rule out supporting or even initiating a vote of no confidence in the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reports Rapporteur, citing a representative of the socialists.

“This would mean that, in essence, everything is over,” a representative of S&D told the publication, commenting on a possible complete severance of cooperation with the EPP. According to Rapporteur, the socialists in this case do not rule out that in the event of a break, they will support or even initiate a vote of no confidence in the chairman of the European Commission belonging to the EGP.

Socialists demand that EPP leader Manfred Weber publicly confirm his readiness to work with centrist factions on the basis of common priorities and agreed principles.

S&D has long criticized the European Parliament's largest faction for voting with the right on a number of issues, including migration and deregulation. If an agreement cannot be reached, the socialists are ready to completely abandon cooperation with the EPP.

“This means a radical change in the way parliament works. Then we do not participate in negotiations in which the EPP is participating,” the publication quotes an S&D representative as saying.

In his assessment, such a scenario would be a “historic shift” and could seriously complicate von der Leyen’s passage of legislative initiatives through the European Parliament before the end of its current convocation in 2029.

Informal talks on a redistribution of leadership positions mid-term in the European Parliament, scheduled for January 2027, have already begun between the leaders of the EPP, S&D, liberal Renew and the Greens. So far the negotiations are taking place in a bilateral format.

One of the key questions remains the fate of the current President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. According to the publication, EPP and S&D deputies consider it most likely to reach an agreement with the participation of Renew, which would allow Metsola to remain at the head of the European Parliament for another two and a half years. The Socialists refer to the agreement reached in 2024, according to which the post of Chairman of the EP, according to them, should go to a representative of S&D.