LAST UPDATE | 16 Jul 2024

Muiris O'Cearbhaill reports from Strasbourg

MEPS ARE SET to vote on Ursula Von der Leyen’s continued presidency of the European Commission, with Fianna Fáil MEPs defying pressure to vote for her. 

Of Ireland’s MEPs, only Fine Gael members have declared the intention to vote for Von der Leyen. 

Tánaiste and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told reporters in Luxembourg in June that there had been a high-level deal agreed between the three major European political groupings: Fianna Fáil’s centrist Renew, Fine Gael’s centre-right EPP and Labour’s left-wing Socialist & Democrats (S&D).

These groups help the Parliament to have a structured whip system but also allow them to secure positions on committees, among other things. This high-level deal will see many MEPs in these groups voting in favour of the German politician’s second term.

However, the margins are very slim. For Von der Leyen to be successful, she must secure 361 votes.

On paper, the high-level deal means she is expected to get well beyond what is needed (with 401 votes) but Labour’s Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, a member of S&D, has already ruled out voting for her.

Fianna Fáil’s Barry Andrews and Billy Kelleher have also announced that they will not be voting for her either. It is understood that the other two other Fianna Fáil MEPs, Barry Cowen and Cynthia Ní Murchú, will also not support the incumbent.

Kelleher said this morning: “President Von Der Leyen’s inability to call out or criticise the actions of Israel in Gaza, and her seemingly unconditional support for Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is now subject to an ICC Arrest Warrant for his actions, mean I cannot support her re-election.”

Kelleher explained that he met, one-on-one with Von der Leyen last week where they discussed his criticisms over her actions since the 7 October attacks. He adds, however, that the topic was not discussed in her 55-minute address to the Renew group.

Kelleher added: “I was open to reviewing my stance if President Von der Leyen apologised for her actions in the immediate aftermath of the October 7th Hamas attacks, committed to a Two State Solution, and supported two important issues:

“1. suspending the EU-Israel Trade Association Agreement and, 2. the implementation of an EU-wide ban on products produced in the Occupied Territories. Sadly, President Von der Leyen was unable or unwilling to give me such assurances,” he said.

The Ireland South MEP said though he had been clear on his stance and opinion of the german politician throughout the election campaign, he did listen to his party colleagues on the issue.

Despite attempts to change his mind, he said he still has no confidence in her as Commission President. It is not yet known if the MEPs could face consequences as a result of their decision.

‘FF are voting against their own party’

One source told The Journal that the Fianna Fáil MEPs’ decision could cast a shadow over their relationships with other politicians in the Renew group for the next five years.

It will also have a likely impact on how much the party’s proposed European Commissioner Michael McGrath will be scrutinised by MEPs in Brussels, according to the source.

This point was echoed by Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty this morning on RTÉ Radio One:

“Politics is about support. It’s about working and cooperating together. And the four Fianna Fáil MEPs have just told the potential next President of the Commission that they don’t want her.”

She added that Renew, of which Kelleher is the de-facto deputy leader of, is voting in favour of Von der Leyen and the coalition under the high-level deal has agreed to the same. 

“They’ve decided they’re going to vote against their own party leader Micheál Martin, vote against their Commissioner Michael McGrath and vote against their party Renew. That’s a Fianna Fáil issue.” 

Speaking to The Journal in Strasbourg today, Kelleher said: “My first priority, as always, is to the people who elect you. A mandate was sought and given. I had expressed a view, during that particular campaign, and I think the integrity of politics’ first principal is that you should do what you say.”

Kelleher said he had informed party leader and Tánaiste Micheál Martin of his decision. Asked what the Tánaiste’s reaction to it was, Kelleher said: “Look, you have to be true to yourself and true to your word.”

However, he said he does not think the MEPs will face any disciplinary action from the party, adding that the group is a “broad political party” and that debate and differences are always understood.

Kelleher added that doesn’t believe Michael McGrath chosen portfolio will be impacted and believes any Commission President would choose him for the role.

“I’m quite definite that if it is President Von der Leyen that there will be no vindictiveness with regard to giving out any particular portfolio,” he added.

Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan disagreed with Doherty’s stance. She said that politics is about holding those in power to account and that Von der Leyen’s action since 7 October have “green lighted the genocides that we’re now seeing”.

“She has not applied the same principles as she has to the conflict in Ukraine,” Boylan said.

She added that Von der Leyen’s failure to suspend trade agreements with Israel or suspend funding for research projects, after the beginning of the conflict in Israel, has shown that she is not willing to listen to others on this topic.

When asked by The Journal today why Fianna Fáil MEPs are as critical as the EU’s choice for High Representative – the top-foreign affairs diplomatic role in Europe – and Renew member Kaja Kallas, Kelleher said that he took his stance on Von der Leyen because he believes she has no interest in working to resolve the conflict in Gaza.

Kallas, who was also the former Prime Minister for Estonia until she was nominated for the EU role last month, has had a very critical view of the conflict in Gaza, which is not too dissimilar to Von der Leyen’s.

Kelleher said he has brought up Palestine many times over the last five years in the European Parliament and, while he did not comment on Kallas’ view, he believes Von der Leyen’s view has been consistently in opposition to his.

Earlier, French MEP and co-leader of The Left group – of which Sinn Féin is a member of - Manon Aubry told reporters that while her group were open to discussions with Von der Leyen, the German politician did not offer them anything which aligned with their values.

“When having these conversation and public services, workers and civil rights don’t come up – you can read between the lines,” she said at a press conference this morning.

Muiris O’Cearbhaill will be in Strasbourg, France reporting on the first Plenary session of this European Parliament this week. Keep up to date on the latest on The Journal.