Highlight week for von der Leyen's encore: Wednesday the EU Court of Justice verdict on vaccines and Thursday the secret ballot vote
The plenary will open on Tuesday with the almost foregone reappointment of Roberta Metsola at the helm of the Euro Chamber for another two and a half years. On 18 July the secret ballot in the European Parliament
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A highlight week opens for von der Leyen's encore presidency of the European Commission. Amid promises and reassurances, Ursula von der Leyen is approaching the secret ballot on 18 July in the European Parliament, busy weaving a web that in recent days has touched all pro-European forces and sometimes even individual MEPs. Her Populars, Socialists and Liberals are ready to give her their trust again, five years after the first time. They are also joined by the Greens.
The Left's meeting with Giorgia Meloni's conservatives
However, the final details will be worked out at the beginning of the week in the corridors of Strasbourg, when the president will also meet with The Left and Giorgia Meloni's conservatives outlining the political path she intends to pursue.
The spectre of the EU Court of Justice verdict
.And on the vote, already overshadowed by the risk of the franchi tiratori, there is also a legal unknown: the verdict of the EU Court of Justice - arriving on the eve of the count, Wednesday 17 July - on the appeals against the German company and its executive for the lack of transparency in the contracts on anti-Covid vaccines. A ruling that could help move the ball in one direction or the other. von der Leyen's goal remains to secure the support of around 400 MPs from the EPP, S&D and Renew: enough to overcome 361, the necessary majority. There is no shortage of trouble at home, however: the French and Slovenian Populars (11 in all) have already announced their discontent with the German. And, similarly, the Irish Liberals (4 from Fianna Faíl and 2 independents) are leaning towards rejection because of their opposition to her stance on the Middle East, despite an extreme attempt by Prime Minister Simon Harris - from a popular family who governs with them in Dublin - to persuade them to reconsider. Officially, only one socialist has announced that, for the same reasons, he will vote no: Slovenian Matjaz Nemec. But dissatisfaction is widespread, and for Ursula it will then be important to get a block yes from the 21 MEPs of the PD who are asking for "greater clarity on certain issues" - from the social agenda to the rule of law -, but have made it known that "the premises are good".
To the outgoing president's rescue will in all likelihood also come the 53 Greens MEPs who are aiming for a 'group' and 'coherent' vote on condition that they obtain a written document certifying their entry into the orbit of the majority. And that there is not that much feared 'structural cooperation' with Giorgia Meloni's Conservatives. None of them so far, with the exception of the Czech premier Petr Fiala who can bring his 3 ODS MEPs as a dowry, have assured her yes. And it is with them that von der Leyen will speak on Tuesday 16 July in a conversation that will be decisive above all for the orientation of Fratelli d'Italia.
After the meeting 'we'll see,' reiterated Nicola Procaccini, echoing the Italian prime minister, who is committed to pursuing the battle for a European Commission that - whatever the vote on Ursula goes - in the next five years will be 'centre-right' because 'the commissioners are the expression of the governments and the majority' in the Twenty-Seven 'are centre-right'.
