Malik Azmani’s chances at becoming the new Renew group chief are dwindling as centrist EU lawmakers criticise his party’s involvement in coalition talks with the Dutch far-right, favouring French President Emmanuel Macron’s pick, Valérie Hayer.
The electoral battleground is open to determine who will become the new head of the third political force in the European Parliament, the liberal Renew Europe group, after former boss Stéphane Séjourné was appointed as France’s foreign minister earlier in January.
Though no official candidates have been announced, the two top contenders for the job are Valérie Hayer, Macron’s Renaissance delegation co-president, and Malik Azmani, Renew’s interim President and a member of the Dutch centre-right VVD party.
Both have started campaigning internally to rally a majority ahead of a closed-door election early on Thursday (25 January).
Renaissance’s Valérie Hayer is the French pick to ensure Macron’s sustained influence in the group. The former leader of Renew, Séjourné, is also a Renaissance member.
Her challenger, Azmani, is the ALDE party’s attempt at regaining control of the presidency, which they lost in 2019 after the election of independent Romanian MEP Dacian Cioloș as group president.
ALDE is a European liberal alliance that was first created in 1976, representing Renew’s biggest faction with 57 out of 101 seats.
Séjourné’s surprise FM job throws Renaissance lead candidate race in limbo
Stéphane Séjourné, Emmanuel Macron’s top man in the European Parliament and Renew Group’s President, was appointed Foreign Affairs minister on Thursday (11 January), leaving a question mark as to who will lead Macron’s party in the EU elections.
Far-right concerns
But despite ALDE outnumbering Renaissance in seats, tensions are simmering over Azmani’s liberal party VVD’s involvement in coalition talks with the Netherlands’ far-right party, with ALDE lawmakers shifting their vote to Hayer, nine sources from Renew told Euractiv on the condition of anonymity.
Dutch far-right party PVV, widely criticised for its anti-Islam and anti-EU stance, won the Dutch elections by a landslide in November with 37 out of 150 seats. It is projected to secure 12 seats in the June EU elections.
“Many don’t want Azmani as chief because [his party] is in negotiations with the far-right,” a French EU lawmaker official said under the condition of anonymity, echoing similar concerns from ALDE party members.
Dutch independent MEP Sophie in ’t Veld, formerly a member of the centrist D66 party, has already publicly announced she will cast her vote for Hayer, expressing her concerns about the group’s credibility were Azmani to become president.
“I find it extremely problematic if our group is to be led by somebody whose party is in coalition negotiations with the far-right in the Netherlands. What does that do for the credibility of our group as a liberal group promoting liberal values, denouncing extremism?” in ’t Veld told Euractiv.
Azmani supporters, however, see him as the candidate of “continuity”, since he was the group’s vice-president and current interim president.
“I see it as logical for Malik Azmani, as the current first vice-president of Renew Europe, to take over the leadership of the group,” Czechia’s ANO MEP Ondřej Kovařík told Euractiv.
Macron’s Hayer and Azmani face off in tight EU liberals’ presidential race
The liberal group in the European Parliament, Renew Europe, will elect its new president next Thursday (25 January) at 8 am, with two top candidates, the French Valérie Hayer and Dutch Malik Azmani, interim group President.
Hayer gaining ground
Hayer, who is running on a platform of stability and continuity, needs now to convince ALDE lawmakers to vote for her before Thursday’s key vote.
“She needs to reach out to small [Renew] delegations, think broad,” a second French EU lawmaker said, confident that she will have the necessary support: “That’ll do it.”
“We ought to keep Séjourné’s legacy going,” the same French EU lawmaker continued: “Hayer’s candidacy is both logical and desirable”.
According to testimonies and information gathered by Euractiv, the entire French Renaissance delegation will vote in favour of Hayer.
The European Democratic Party (EDP), which is home to France’s MoDem lawmakers (who are officially part of the Renaissance delegation), but also Italia Viva, the basque EAJ-PNV and Germany’s Freie Wähler are also expected to cast a vote for Hayer.
The Slovenian independent delegation should do the same, while some ALDE delegations are expected to break ranks with Azmani in Hayer’s favour.
In total, this would give Hayer a minimum of 30 votes – out of the 51 she needs to secure the post – with chances that there are last-minute changes.
Hayer’s cabinet, contacted by Euractiv, did not wish to comment on the details of the campaign. Hayer’s candidacy “has not been made official at this stage”, they said.
A VVD spokesperson in the European Parliament declined Euractiv’s request for comment.
“If we’re not certain to get 48 or 49 votes, we won’t go for it. If Hayer screws up, we’ll end up on a stretcher ahead of EU elections,” the first French EU lawmaker warned, adding this would mean a loss of French influence in the group.
Paul Messad and Luca Bertuzzi contributed to reporting.
[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]
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