Constitutional Committee begins debating Corbett Report - Bonino List Members could join Socialist group?

26/11/1999 (Agence Europe)

The European Parliament Committee on Constitutional Affairs has held an initial exchange of views on the report by Richard Corbett (Labour, UK) on the amendment to the Rules of Procedure requested by Members elected on the Bonino list (a request that has the backing of many Members from all the groups) to make it possible to establish a "Mixed Group" in Parliament, in which Members presently in the Non-Attached group would sit. The rapporteur (for more on his appointment, see EUROPE of 28 October, page 8) was very cautious about the possibility of amending the Rules and of establishing groups in Parliament on a basis other than political affinities. However, debate revealed more qualified views among Members, some being more open to a change in the Rules so that all Members may benefit from the advantages of group membership and thus work under conditions of equality with their fellows (see below).

Meanwhile, the Spanish daily El Mundo has published an open letter from Emma Bonino to Socialist group Chair Enrique Baron, along with Mr Baron's answer. Mrs Bonino states in her letter that, by suggesting the formation of a mixed group, the Italian Radicals are hoping that, as in national parliaments (she mentions the cases of Italy, Spain, Greece and Ireland), Members "without a family" can "dispose of a technical coordination instrument" enabling them, for example, to table resolutions or amendments in plenary. In these parliaments, a mixed group of this kind is established as a matter of course, at the start of each legislature, points out Mrs Bonino, who notes that the "Technical Group" made up of the Radicals, "without a false label", after last June's elections, was "open to all Non-Attached members", thus to "unwieldy and alarming individuals" such as Mr Le Pen (even though, "obviously, I have nothing in common with him", she added). In his response, Mr Baron admits that he does not understand how Em

ma Bonino could choose to set up a group, even a "technical" one, with Le Pen and his cohorts, when her views are at the opposite end of the European, political and humanitarian spectrum from theirs. Mr Baron then declares: "Given that foeudus in Latin means alliance, I would be willing to propose that my group allow you to be associated with us, to work together for a progressive, democratic and federal Europe". MEP Gianni Vattimo (Democratici di sinistra) commented that both the Socialist group and the Radicals should take Mr Baron's offer seriously. Indeed, those who know the Socialist group from within are well aware that it already includes Members showing "profound differences, who nevertheless work together productively" on behalf of certain common values, which "are clearly shared by the Italian Radicals".