MEPs: Election of von der Leyen Disappointing, But There's Still Hope in Her

17. júla 2019 21:42
Bratislava, July 17 (TASR) - Only time will tell whether world leaders take next President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, elected on Tuesday (July 16), seriously as a political partner, think members of the Slovak National Party (SNS). SNS received news of von der Leyen's election without emotions. "Only time will tell whether (US) President (Donald) Trump or (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will perceive her as a partner in the political arena," TASR was told by SNS spokesperson Zuzana Skopcova. "She wasn't an ideal candidate for Progressive Slovakia, but her programme convinced us that she might move the EU forward," stated MEP and Progressive Slovakia vice-chair Michal Simecka. Simecka added that the party remained disappointed at the non-transparent fashion, in which von der Leyen was picked to head the Commission as well as the fact that Central and Eastern European countries won't receive any of the top EU posts. Therefore, it will be imperative for the new European Commission to show it works to the benefit of all European citizens, therefore. MEP Peter Pollak (OLaNO) hopes that von der Leyen will meet her promises and adopt tangible steps in the spirit of the promised measures she had personally presented. "A stronger, more unified, reformed Europe, NATO as a key partner and an active approach towards our own European defence, these are some of the values espoused by the first-ever woman in the post of European Commission President... Europe needs to stand united, it's senseless to fragment among ourselves, as it only plays into the hands of extremists and radicals," said Pollak. Most-Hid party believes that it's in the EU interest that von der Leyen manages to translate her programme into practice. "The course of the talks and narrow election result suggests that the newly-elected Commission head will face a difficult time," thinks Most-Hid. In its press release, We Are Family party declares that it has no reason to perceive the election of von der Leyen in a positive light and views it instead only as a personal choice taken by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Leyen's mandate is weak, which might pose a complication in potential talks with "global players" such as US President Donald Trump or Russian President Vladimir Putin. "We're disconcerted by the fact that Ms. Leyen was chosen as a candidate for one of the top EU posts, despite having no experience with EU policies." mf/mcs
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