Former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt, in the running to lead the Liberals and Democrats group (ALDE) in the European Parliament, and his campaign manager UK Lib Dem MEP Andrew Duff make no secret of their desire to see a ‘federal Europe’. Andrew Duff has spoken and written on the subject over many years and is Chair of the European Federalists, and indeed Guy Verhofstadt has written on the need to create a ‘United States of Europe’. ( The United States of Europe by Guy Verhofstadt, 2006). Such Federalist credentials are impeccable and yet are starting to spook MEPs in the ALDE group. Today saw the first defection as the widely regarded Finnish MEP from the Liberal-linked Centre Party, Hannu Takkula, left ALDE to join the new UK Conservative-led grouping: the European Conservative and Reformist group. Last week saw the defection of the entire Italian ‘Democratici’ party to the Socialists. Such defections could be the first of many should Verhofstadt take over the leadership of ALDE. Most MEPs in the ALDE group consider that the voters’ verdicts in early June was at best ‘no further integration’ placing them at odds with the Verhofstadt and Duff line. Could the ALDE group fall into 4th place behind the Conservative and Reformist grouping? Unlikely it has to be said unless there are defections on a massive scale but it will be acutely embarrassing for Verhofstadt to see the departure of so many of his MEPs within days of gaining the leadership. His stance also makes it very difficult to recruit additional MEPs from other parties.
(Note: The Yorkshire Guidon is related to one of the other contenders in this contest)
June 24, 2009 at 8:43 am |
“the widely regarded Finnish MEP from the Liberal-linked Centre Party, Hannu Takkula”
Widely regarded by whom? He was one of the most conservative MEPs from Finland from the beginning, being a member of an ultra-orthodox grouping within the Lutheran state church, like so many other members of his party. The Centre Party only gained the membership of international liberal organisations, because the tiny Finnish liberal party was its member organisation for few years in the beginning of the eighties due a financial bankruptcy. Ideologically the Centre party would have suited better an international conservative organisation, but couldn’t enter the IDU, because the status of the Finnish member party was already occupied by another Finnish party.
June 24, 2009 at 1:24 pm |
Widely-regarded within the European Parliament. He was latterly the ALDE spokesperson on the Culture Committee and was generally seen by his colleagues to have a done a good job there. He also drafted an own-initiative report on the education of the children of migrants which was passed overwhelmingly in Plenary.
I can’t comment on your views on the Centre Party. They were and still are in ELDR and ALDE. They are thus ‘Liberal-linked’ which is what I put in my piece.
June 26, 2009 at 1:45 am |
Just a couple of points:
Hannu Takkula has since had a change of heart and is remaining in the ALDE group with the rest of the Finnish Centre Party
The Italian Democrats did not leave ALDE as the party was never in it. The Italian parties recently merged into one broad centre-right party (Berlusconi’s “People of Freedom”) and one broad centre-left “Democratic Party”. Until the 2009 election Italian Democrat MEPs stayed in the ALDE group they had joined when they were elected for their old party. After the elections the merged party picked a group and, because the majority of its members were from the Social Democratic rather than Liberal tradition, they went with the PES.
June 26, 2009 at 7:42 pm |
Yes Hannu Takkula has had a change of heart. It may be that he knows something the rest of us don’t about who will lead the ALDE group!
Several MEPs of the ‘Democratici’ were members of ALDE in the previous mandate and had the opportunity to stay there if they so wished, although I understand their Party decided for them.