Arguments in the case concerning European Parliament political groups

21/10/1999 (Agence Europe)

As indicated in yesterday's EUROPE (p.3), the Court of First Instance heard the lawyer on behalf of the National Front MEPs, Charles de Gaulle and Jean-Claude Martinez, who attacked the European Parliament for having banned the constitution of the"technical group of independent MEPs". This group would have been made up of MEPs from the National Front, the Vlaams Blok, Lega Nord, MSI and Italian Radicals elected on the Bonino List (see EUROPE of 15 September 1999, p.6). We give below the substance of the main arguments invoked by the parties:

The Parliament notes that Article 29 of its internal regulation provides for MEPs to organise a group according to "political affinity". Once the decision is taken, it must be implemented. The Front National replies that the Parliament has not always interpreted this article as strictly and that, in the past, there were "technical groups" whose sole aim was to facilitate the work and ensure financing for the activities of MEPs that were not registered in a political group. It went on to cite the current "Europe of Democracies and Diversities" Group, which comprises French hunters, Danish anti-Europeans and a small group of Dutch protestants. The Parliament's retort was that, in the past, the Parliament was a "discussion group" which only gave opinions whereas, now, with the Amsterdam and Maastricht Treaties, it is joint "legislator". Consequently, there should be real political will within one and the same group.

Article 29 of the Parliament's regulation responds to Article 19 of the regulation of the French National Assembly. In Germany, the regulation is even more strict since, in order to belong to the same group, German MPs must join the same party. On the other hand, in the Italian parliament, a "joint group" ("gruppo misto") brings together MEPs from the extreme right to the extreme left.

The interim order from Court President Bo Vesterdorf, which should state whether the ban on forming this group is suspended or not, will be issued within one or two weeks. EUROPE recalls the President can only suspend the decision to ban the creation of the group: confirmation or cancellation of the EP's decision will only come in the ruling on the substance of the case, that is, not before next year.

EUROPE recalls that, in the meantime, political forces within the EP are exploring the possibility of a political solution to this issue, through amendments to the regulation.