The name which is set to replace Martin Schulz as the new president of the European Parliament (EP) has been revealed on 17 January 2017. Indeed, in the elections to determine the new president of the EP, the candidate for the European People’s Party (EPP) and Italian MEP Antonio Tajani was elected with 351 votes to 282 votes for his challenger from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and Italian MEP Gianni Pittella.  It is expected that Tajani will hold his position as President of the EP until the EP elections of June 2019.

Following the decision of Schulz to leave the EP in order for him to be a candidate in the German general elections which are scheduled to take place in autumn, and as a consequence of his decision to refuse sharing power with the EPP, all eyes focused on the election of the new president.

EP President Antonio Tajani is the first Italian to fulfil that position since Emilio Colombo who served as EP President between 1977 and 1979. The 63-year-old Tajani who has a 20-year-long experience within the EU institutions, served as Commissioner for Transport (2008-2009) during the first Barroso Commission and as Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship (2010-2014) and Vice-President during the second Barroso Commission. Tajani who is also one of the founders of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s party Forza Italia, was perceived as a controversial candidate as a result of allegations of negligence with respect to the Volkswagen emissions scandal and also due to his well-known proximity with Berlusconi. The election of Tajani as new EP President was rendered possible thanks to the formation of a pro-EU coalition between the EPP group and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group.

IKV Chairman Ayhan Zeytinoğlu assessed the election of Antonio Tajani as new EP President from the perspective of Turkey-EU relations:

“The election of EP President Antonio Tajani bears significant importance with respect to our relations with the EU. Indeed, one should recollect the motion for resolution which had been adopted at the EP last November and which envisaged a temporary freeze of our relations, thus unleashing a new crisis in our relations. In case of further progress with respect to the visa liberalisation issue, one of the institutions which would play an important role and give its approval to the process will be the EP. As such, the approach which will be embraced by the EP President at that juncture will be critical. In his past declarations regarding Turkey’s EU accession process, Tajani had indicated support for Turkey’s EU membership bid but also pointed out the need to comply with the Copenhagen criteria. Before his election as EP President, Tajani had highlighted the importance of Turkey as a strategic partner for the EU but also expressed the need to suspend accession negotiations until shortcomings regarding the rule of law, freedom of expression and fundamental rights have been solved. Such approaches do not prepare a constructive basis to tackle such aforementioned issues but on the contrary would lead to a reduction of confidence towards the EU and further tensions in our relations. As such, it is of utmost importance for the new EP President to embrace a more visionary and long-term approach towards Turkey”.

Indicating that the EP’s approach towards Turkey is source for concern, IKV President Zeytinoğlu pursued as follows:

“We have seen an increasingly critical approach towards Turkey since the last EP elections of 2014 and as a result of measures which have been taken following the 15 July 2016 coup attempt. As it is known, the motion for resolution adopted at the EP on 24 November 2016 which envisaged a temporary freeze of accession negotiations with Turkey led to increasing tensions in relations, although the EP’s resolution is not legally binding. Such actions, unfortunately, do not help in correcting the measures that are criticised in Turkey but rather lead to further tensions in our relations. As such, it would be mutually beneficial for the EP to propose initiatives towards the acceleration of the accession process. We do hope that a more constructive approach would be embraced by the new EP President”.

Ayhan ZEYTİNOĞLU
IKV Chairman