Belgium (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The centre-right European Conservatives and Reformists Group in the European Parliament has been constituted.
Nicola Procaccini (Fratelli d’Italia, Italy) and Joachim Brudziński (PiS, Poland) are the new joint leaders
Assita Kanko (N-VA, Belgium), Hermann Tertsch (Vox, Spain), Alexandr Vondra (ODS, Czech Republic) and Charlie Weimers (Sverigedemokraterna, Sweden) are its deputy leaders.
Meanwhile, Denis Nesci (Fratelli d’Italia) and Kosma Złotowski (PiS, Poland) have been elected as co-treasurers.
The ECR says it has also welcomed independent Estonian MEP Jaak Madison into the fold.
This brings the number of MEPs in the group to 84.
The group, which sees itself as a “constructive” centre-right force in the European Parliament but is opposed to an ever-closer Union, has ousted the Renew Group from third place in the Parliament.
Commenting on the moves, Procaccini said, “The ECR Group will be the platform that stands up for the interests of Europe’s citizens.
“The European elections showed that voters want a European Union as it was originally conceived, where Member States came together to achieve a few important things that they could not achieve alone.
“We will advocate for a Union that respects European founding values, such as the traditional family, alongside the principles that have historically shaped Europe and our identity, which are grounded in Hellenistic, Roman and Christian traditions.”
Further comment comes from Brudziński who said:”For us Conservatives, respect for Member States, large and small, is central.
“As good patriots, we will continue to defend this in Brussels, and I am confident that we will be an effective and persuasive voice in the European Parliament.”
