EU common defence plan, centre-right and centre-left split in Strasbourg
In the report on the Common Foreign and Security Policy approved by the European Parliament, the forces of the government majority were divided into three: yes by FI, no by the League and abstention by FdI. Among the opposition parties, the yes of the Pd and the no of the M5S and Avs were recorded.
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Majority and opposition divided on the annual resolution on the implementation of the Common European Security and Defence Policy approved in Strasbourg with 399 votes in favour, 198 against and 71 abstentions. In favour of the text were the Forza Italia and Democratic Party MEPs with the exception of the two independent MEPs Cecilia Strada and Marco Tarquinio. The entire delegation of Fratelli d'Italia abstained. The Lega, M5s and Avs opposed instead.
Pd, holds mediation between no ReArm and OK final vote on EU report
No to the amendment in favour of rearmament and yes in the final vote on the 'Annual Report on Security and Defence Policy'. This was the mediation that avoided new splits, afterthe lacerating one a few weeks ago, in the PD delegation in Europe led by Nicola Zingaretti. An articulation in the votes that allowed the Dem majority to reaffirm its opposition to the Von der Leyen plan, which, according to secretary Elly Schlein, needs a "radical revision", as called for in the PD resolution voted in Montecitorio in recent days. But which also satisfies the reformist area with the yes - in line this time with the European socialist family - in the final vote on the Report, a wide-ranging document in 61 pages that includes all aspects of European foreign policy, from Ukraine to the Middle East. Foreign Affairs Secretary Schlein's Peppe Provenzano says: "The Democratic Party has repeatedly made clear, in political and parliamentary forums, its line of opposition to the race to rearmament by individual states and its commitment to the construction of a true European defence. It was right to vote against the amendments that re-propose the initial Von der Leyen plan, which instead needs radical revision'.
The reformist area emphasises another aspect of today's day in Strasbourg. Although the PD put on record its rejection of the amendment in favour of rearmament, that amendment was nevertheless approved by the plenary, effectively entering into the final text of the report. So much so that the two 'independents' Marco Tarquinio and Cecilia Strada voted against the report, while all the rest of the Dem delegation voted in favour
M5s: us with consistency against Rearm Eu
Voting against across the board by the M5s. "The 5 Star Movement has consistently and proudly voted against the two reports voted in the European Parliament on foreign and defence policy. The latter, in particular, is a paean to war that calls on member states to prepare families and young people with exercises and initiatives that make civil society participate in this war effort." A communiqué from the Five Star delegation to the European Parliament reads. "Also shameful is the approval of the EPP amendment welcoming the European Commission's RearmEU plan that allocates as much as 800 billion for military escalation and will lead to painful cuts in social spending and investment. We voted no to the final text also because it contains this amendment and on Saturday 5 April we will be in the streets with thousands of citizens to sound the alarm to this Europe of war and weapons.
Fidanza (FdI): criticism of the US in defence text, we abstain
The criticism of the US administration contained in the report instead led Fdi to abstain. "We abstained because unfortunately the numerous amendments tabled to the very long report on the implementation of the Common Security and Defence Policy contributed to unbalancing a text that in its basic structure was going in the right direction, presenting the progress made in the current geopolitical and security context, as well as the numerous challenges to be faced, starting from the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine to the need to strengthen European security. I am referring in particular to the various criticisms of the US administration, as well as to the exceeding of unanimity in the Council and also to the forecasts of a sudden increase in military expenditure incompatible with our public finance constraints'. This was written by the FdI group leader in the Chamber, Carlo Fidanza, commenting on the position of the Strasbourg party
