Poll victors vow to fight ‘left’s agenda’

Date: 24/06/1999

By Gareth Harding
THE Christian Democrats plan to turn the European Parliament into a political counterbalance to the Socialist-dominated Council of Ministers after their spectacular victory in the Euro-elections.

"The fight back against the left's agenda for Europe begins now and the forum will be the democratically elected European Parliament," said the newly appointed head of the European People's Party (EPP) Alejandro Agag.

The driving force behind the EPP's bid to regain control of the European political agenda is Spanish Prime Minister Jose-Maria Aznar, who is the centre-right's only leader from a major EU country.

Aznar has convened a meeting of the heads of Europe's Christian Democrat parties in Marbella on 6 July to celebrate the EPP's triumph in the Euro-poll and plot their strategy for the next five years.

One of the points high on the agenda will be the centre-right's relationship with other political groups in the assembly.

In recent years the Parliament's two largest parties, the Socialists and the EPP, have had a cosy relationship and outgoing Parliament Vice-President Georgios Anastassopoulos believes the love-in is likely to continue. "The Christian Democrats and Socialists are condemned to cooperate," he said. "If they do not, the Parliament cannot function properly or move forward on the big issues."

However, Agag believes that relations between the assembly and Council could get more frosty. "There is likely to be a confrontation on political issues where we fundamentally differ," he said.

Although the Socialists and Christian Democrats see eye to eye on most points, the EPP is fiercely opposed to moves towards tax harmonisation and a 35-hour working week.

Christian Democrat MEPs will also formally elect their parliamentary leader at the Marbella meeting. This is almost certain to be Hans-Gert Poettering, after the 53-strong German delegation decided this week to nominate the

veteran member to fill what is arguably the Parliament's most powerful post.

Another long-serving parliamentarian who is expected to wield power in the 626-seat chamber is French Christian Democrat Nicole Fontaine. With the EPP sure to opt for the Parliament presidency during the first half of the five-year term, she now looks virtually certain to become France's second female head of the assembly.

There might be some raised eyebrows among EPP members at UK Conservative leader William Hague's presence on the Spanish holiday island on 6 July, given the stridently Eurosceptic tone of his election campaign.

His party's shadow cabinet met last night to discuss whether its 36 MEPs should remain within the EPP fold in the new Parliament, after the vast majority voted to stay in the group last week. However, no decision had been announced by the time European Voice went to press.