Bulletin No48 juillet 2024 A little flashback
This new president was then only known in her country… and very unfavorably. Thus, her appointment was commented on in the newspaper Die Welt : " there is no longer much doubt about the real reason which pushed Ursula Von der Leyen to flee to Brussels " summarizes the head of the newspaper's investigation department for whom the former head of the Bundeswehr is very guilty of having let these " parasitic birds that are private consultants make their nest in the Ministry of Defense ", of having given the keys to National Defense, through these lobbyists, to the interests large companies in the arms sector in particular.
Clearly, the one who was presented as a possible successor to Mrs. Merkel, had to hastily surrender her mandate as Minister of Defense, a minister subject to a parliamentary investigation.
The German government is offering its most unpopular minister, embroiled in a dark affair of favoritism and corruption, to take charge of the European Commission. This shows the relationship between German power and the European institution.
Ms Van der Layen's assessment
It is difficult to credit any action to the President of the European Commission since she heads an institution for the defense of the interests of capital.
However, she deserves a special mention for her very personal management of the Covid crisis. After much controversy, the European deputies, finally the most curious, were able to have access to the contracts concluded with “Big Pharma” by the Commission or Ms Van der Layen, but apparently with a ban on taking notes and even less photographs. And then of course, how can we forget her positions in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict: they surprised some who were wondering if the President of the Commission was not going to declare war on Russia in the name of the entire European Union.
In short, a true fighting woman like this Mrs. Van der Layen, as much against the evil viruses as the horde of the Huns and her friends from the pharmaceutical industry and those from the arms industry (see above) only have to welcome the presence of this Valkyrie at the head of the European Commission.
Van der Layen II
Ms. Van der Layen announced in Berlin in February 2024 that she would run for a second term, with the support of her party (the conservative CDU). The heads of state of the 27 member countries of the European Union confirmed in June the candidacy of Ms. Van der Layen, at the same time as the Estonian Prime Minister for the post of head of European diplomacy and a Portuguese socialist for the post. head of the European Council. The European Parliament had to confirm these decisions.
Ms. Van der Layen presented a program to convince the deputies in which there was a little for everyone with particular emphasis on the subject of the ecological and... military transition since she suggested the creation of a Commissioner for the Defense (definitely!).
Ultimately, the outgoing party received 401 votes in favor (360 required) against 284 against and 15 abstentions. The vote took place by secret ballot at the request of the LR and Ms. Van der Layen did not have enough votes from the parliamentary groups officially rallied to her cause (the conservatives of the EPP, the social democrats and Renew the Europe, extension of the macronie). If the voting instructions had been respected, she could have counted on 443 votes. The “official” defection of the French LR and a few social democrats was offset by the votes cast by the (non-French) Greens.
An election reflecting the political ideal of capital
Beyond the controversial character of Ms. Van der Layen, this European democracy has the virtue of bringing to light a political ideal: that of consensus on substance and contradictory debates on form. Social democrats and conservatives agree perfectly on the political casting of an institution, today a centerpiece of maintaining the hold of capital on national policies. The Greens (mainly German) are coaxing themselves with a few promises of environmentalist programs, they believe that they “have had influence in their roadmap” and some observers have been very impressed by the involvement of the national leadership of the German Greens to win to the candidate the votes of their own elected officials.
From a French point of view, it is notable that the positions in the European Parliament of the members of the New Popular Front are very contrasting with those displayed in the French Parliament. Because, all the same, part of the new popular front did indeed vote for Ms. Van der Layen and others still came to congratulate her.
With such inconsistencies, how can the world of work still trust it? Capital, for its part, can continue to develop its plans.