Squaring these two seemingly irreconcilable positions will be “the biggest challenge,” Eickhout said.
Celebrate today, negotiate tomorrow
In the moment, at least, it was a triumphant, delirious Sunday night for von der Leyen, who led her party to an increased share of seats in the Parliament.
Now, however, she must begin tense negotiations to secure the votes she needs to stay employed in Brussels, with everyone wanting to press whatever advantage they have.
Eickhout told POLITICO that the Greens could support von der Leyen but need assurances that EU laws charting a course to climate neutrality by 2050 won’t be touched. He also said the Greens want promises to cut agricultural pollution, a politically explosive issue for the EPP.
Von der Leyen has a personal interest in protecting the Green Deal: It was, after all, the biggest policy achievement of her first term. Moreover, given the election’s rightward result, some Greens might be tempted to back von der Leyen rather than risk a Commission president with no stake in the green agenda.
A senior EPP official predicted the Greens would split, with those from von der Leyen’s home country falling into line even if there was a further deal with the Italian right.
