Parliament's centre right opens up to eurosceptics

The European Parliament’s centre right political group has opened its door to eurosceptic parties to boost its numbers after the June European elections.

A vote in the largest political group, the European People’s Party, in Strasbourg on Wednesday changed the group’s constitution to formally give new parties wishing to join “the right to promote and develop their distinct views on constitutional and institutional issues in relation to the future of Europe.”

Any new parties, which could include the Czech ODS party, would join an aligned European Democrats (ED) section to the main EPP group.

The changes, which also include a formal deal to grant the ED section one of the EPP’s eight vice-President positions, were widely viewed as a concession to keep the 36-strong UK Conservative delegation on board.

The UK Tories, who have existed as the ED group since the 1999 elections, have traditionally been seen by many as the thorn in the side of the EPP's hardline European federalist core.

The decision to open up the ED section to other parties of a eurosceptic nature has caused emotive ruptures within the EPP, with many MEPs fearing a drift away from the group’s federalist ideals.

Opposition has been strongest from French and Belgian MEPs, and the EPP decision has fuelled the drive of the French UDF (Union for French Democracy) in particular to break away from the group, forming a new centre right grouping with a strongly pro-European platform.

Talks are still underway between European Liberal leader Graham Watson, European Commission chief Romano Prodi, and UDF leader Francois Bayrou about the format that such a group could take.

Die-hard eurosceptics within the Conservatives have also been unhappy with the decision to stick by the EPP, and some are also threatening not to return to the EPP-ED group after the June elections.

“There are undoubtedly some British members that won’t join,” said one EPP source, who said the alternative would be to join the ‘non-aligned’ group in the parliament.

The issue of who will be allowed to join the ED section is by no means a closed book.

The EPP group is likely to face further rifts after the June European poll when it decides on who to admit to the ED section of the group.

While EPP leader Hans-Gert Poettering said that the vote on Conservative membership was more or less a formality, the path may not be so smooth for parties such as the Czech ODS that would have to meet the approval of a majority of EPP members.

An alliance with the ODS – also known as the Civic Democrats – has been strongly opposed by German CSU members, riled by the party’s staunch defence of the controversial Benes Decrees used to deport Sudeten Germans from Czechoslovakia.

According to the Czech press, deputy head of the ODS Jan Zahradil said the outlook for the party joining the ED was “optimistic” following Wednesday’s vote.

He added that he will now begin negotiating the ODS's membership in the grouping and has been assured of support from the Conservatives, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's party, and the Spanish People's Party.

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