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Challenges Await Antonio Tajani, the European Parliament’s New President Challenges Await Antonio Tajani, the European Parliament’s New President
(about 1 hour later)
BRUSSELS — Antonio Tajani was elected on Tuesday as the president of the European Parliament, and he won’t have much time to settle in. BRUSSELS — Antonio Tajani was elected president of the European Parliament on Tuesday, and he won’t have much time to settle in.
Mr. Tajani, an Italian who beat out his countryman Gianni Pittella in the fourth round of voting, takes over as the European Union confronts an array of pressing challenges. Mr. Tajani, an Italian who beat out his countryman Gianni Pittella in the fourth round of voting, takes over as the European Union confronts an array of pressing issues.
The Parliament is the only directly elected body among the bewildering list representing the European Union, but it often struggles for relevance — a fact that was underscored when Mr. Tajani’s ascendance on Tuesday was overshadowed by a speech by Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain on plans for her country to leave the bloc, and an address by Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, in Davos, Switzerland. The Parliament is the only directly elected body among the bewildering list representing the European Union, but it often struggles for relevance — a fact underscored when Mr. Tajani’s ascendance on Tuesday was overshadowed by a speech by Prime Minister Theresa May of Britain on plans for her country to leave the bloc, and an address by Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader, in Davos, Switzerland.
Mr. Tajani, 63, from the European People’s Party, the European Parliament’s largest political group with 217 members from 27 member states, was the favorite for the post. Mr. Tajani, 63, from the European People’s Party — the Parliament’s largest political group, with 217 members from 27 nations — was the favorite for the post.
Mr. Tajani is something of an insider, having previously worked alongside the former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who appointed Mr. Tajani nearly a decade ago to the European Commission, the bloc’s executive office. He served two terms there from 2008 to 2014, overseeing the transport sector and then taking the industry and entrepreneurship portfolio.Mr. Tajani is something of an insider, having previously worked alongside the former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who appointed Mr. Tajani nearly a decade ago to the European Commission, the bloc’s executive office. He served two terms there from 2008 to 2014, overseeing the transport sector and then taking the industry and entrepreneurship portfolio.
Some members of the European Parliament criticized Mr. Tajani for failing to do enough in that role to address emissions from diesel-powered cars. “He wasn’t a commissioner who was very open, transparent and fair,” Ska Keller, a prominent German lawmaker with the Greens, said on Tuesday.Some members of the European Parliament criticized Mr. Tajani for failing to do enough in that role to address emissions from diesel-powered cars. “He wasn’t a commissioner who was very open, transparent and fair,” Ska Keller, a prominent German lawmaker with the Greens, said on Tuesday.
Mr. Tajani has sought to distance himself from the approach taken by his predecessor, Martin Schulz, who announced in November that he would return to German politics. Mr. Schulz was regarded by some members of the Parliament as too ready to use his perch to promote his personal views.Mr. Tajani has sought to distance himself from the approach taken by his predecessor, Martin Schulz, who announced in November that he would return to German politics. Mr. Schulz was regarded by some members of the Parliament as too ready to use his perch to promote his personal views.
The Parliament needed a “president, not a prime minister,” Mr. Tajani said on Tuesday before the voting. “When I stand in front of the Council, it won’t be my ideas I’ll be expounding on, it’ll be the ideas of the majority in Parliament,” he added, apparently referring to summit meetings of the European Council.The Parliament needed a “president, not a prime minister,” Mr. Tajani said on Tuesday before the voting. “When I stand in front of the Council, it won’t be my ideas I’ll be expounding on, it’ll be the ideas of the majority in Parliament,” he added, apparently referring to summit meetings of the European Council.
There were five other candidates for the post, but Mr. Tajani’s only real rival during the voting was Mr. Pittella, from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.There were five other candidates for the post, but Mr. Tajani’s only real rival during the voting was Mr. Pittella, from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.
By the fourth and final round of balloting on Tuesday night, Mr. Tajani won 351 votes in a runoff against Mr. Pittella, who took 282 votes.By the fourth and final round of balloting on Tuesday night, Mr. Tajani won 351 votes in a runoff against Mr. Pittella, who took 282 votes.
Pivotal to Mr. Tajani’s victory was a decision by Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister and the leader of the Parliament’s centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, to withdraw from the race and form a coalition with Mr. Tajani’s center-right group.Pivotal to Mr. Tajani’s victory was a decision by Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister and the leader of the Parliament’s centrist Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe group, to withdraw from the race and form a coalition with Mr. Tajani’s center-right group.
Mr. Verhofstadt suggested that he was taking the step to ensure that the Parliament did not end up weakened by small but staunchly anti-European parties. Politics at the Parliament have become “hugely fragmented,” Mr. Verhofstadt said.Mr. Verhofstadt suggested that he was taking the step to ensure that the Parliament did not end up weakened by small but staunchly anti-European parties. Politics at the Parliament have become “hugely fragmented,” Mr. Verhofstadt said.
The hottest issue in European Union affairs is how tough to be over Britain’s exit, and the Parliament has a veto on any deal London reaches with the rest of the bloc.The hottest issue in European Union affairs is how tough to be over Britain’s exit, and the Parliament has a veto on any deal London reaches with the rest of the bloc.
Mr. Tajani pledged Tuesday to take a fair-minded approach: “We’ll need to be very balanced here — we’ll need to defend the rights of Europe, but I think that in the future the U.K. will be an important partner of ours,” he said.Mr. Tajani pledged Tuesday to take a fair-minded approach: “We’ll need to be very balanced here — we’ll need to defend the rights of Europe, but I think that in the future the U.K. will be an important partner of ours,” he said.
Mr. Tajani must also balance demands among liberal and center-right lawmakers for greater openness and free trade with demands from factions of the center-left and fringe parties to take a more protectionist approach.Mr. Tajani must also balance demands among liberal and center-right lawmakers for greater openness and free trade with demands from factions of the center-left and fringe parties to take a more protectionist approach.
That will be tested when the Parliament votes in mid-February on whether to approve the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union and Canada.That will be tested when the Parliament votes in mid-February on whether to approve the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union and Canada.
Mr. Tajani will also need to oversee passage of highly contentious legislation that could oblige European Union member states to share the burden of hosting asylum seekers under emergency conditions.Mr. Tajani will also need to oversee passage of highly contentious legislation that could oblige European Union member states to share the burden of hosting asylum seekers under emergency conditions.
The move in 1979 to hold direct elections for the Parliament was intended to bring the European project closer to ordinary citizens and to enhance the democratic legitimacy of its decisions.The move in 1979 to hold direct elections for the Parliament was intended to bring the European project closer to ordinary citizens and to enhance the democratic legitimacy of its decisions.
But success has been limited and, in some respects, the initiative has backfired.But success has been limited and, in some respects, the initiative has backfired.
Even as the number of voters participating in elections held every five years has dropped steadily since 1979, to just above 40 percent, the body has become a foothold for a number of insurgent, anti-establishment parties with strongly anti-European views. As the number of voters participating in elections held every five years has dropped steadily since 1979, to just above 40 percent, the body has become a foothold for a number of insurgent, anti-establishment parties with strongly anti-European views.
The Parliament has also become a magnet for lobbyists seeking to influence legislation on a host of issues from the amount of permissible emissions from industry, including cars, to the way cellphone calls are priced. A number of lawmakers have been caught up in corruption scandals, breeding further disenchantment with the organization. The Parliament has also become a magnet for lobbyists seeking to influence legislation on issues from the amount of permissible emissions from industry, including cars, to the way cellphone calls are priced. A number of lawmakers have been caught up in corruption scandals, breeding further disenchantment with the organization.