FF split on joining ELDR??

Image via Wikipedia

According to John over at Semper-Idem splits seam to be developing between the National Party and the MEP's in Brussels. I wonder why that is?

This of course was announced with great fanfare at the Fianna Fail Ard Fheis by an Taoiseach Brian Cowen. He said in his opening speech the following:

Given the changing role of the Parliament and the new structures of its groups, Fianna Fáil has no alternative but to reconsider current arrangements. We need to strengthen our work with others who share our basic approach while insisting on the right to vote in accordance with the views of the people we represent. To that end, we will soon advance a proposal to join, for the first time, a pan-European party - the European Liberal, Democratic and Reform Party. Our representatives have been part of that party's group in the Council of Europe for some time and this has worked out well - particularly because it is a group which works hard to respect the views of smaller countries.

Following June's election, should everything progress as expected, we will then consider joining the parliamentary group to which the ELDR is affiliated. I am confident that we can negotiate a position that will strengthen our voice and that of all people who believe in a Europe of states working closely together.

Yet in yesterdays Irish Times Brian Crowley MEP insisted that ""no deal had yet been done" on whether the FF MEPs would join the ALDE Group in the parliament. I wonder why he said that? Is it because he knows that he will lose many of his perks if FF leave the UEN? What perks you ask? Well as co-president of the UEN (A position he is unlikely to attain in the ALDE Group) he is entitled to a car! He doesn't seam willing to give that up.

All know that my prediction of the end of the UEN being in 2009 seams to be accurate enough.

This is posted on the Thinkaboutit.eu website aswell! Do read and rate it there!

Related articles by Zemanta

• Fianna Fáil to join European Liberal, Democratic and Reform Party (sluggerotoole.com)
• Will 2009 see the End of the UEN? (stephenspillane.blogspot.com)
• Liberals offer FF dosh to swing Lisbon Two. (politics.ie)
• Quick news: Irish MEPs change from UEN to ALDE (julienfrisch.blogspot.com)
• Fianna Fáil needs to call a snap election and lose (golez.net)

Will 2009 see the End of the UEN?

Image via WikipediaThe Union for Europe of the Nations is a political grouping in the European Union. Fianna Fail is one of the members of this grouping and in fact Brian Crowley is one of the leaders of the group.

The UEN currently consists of 44 MEPs from the following parties:
# Danish People's Party (1 MEP) - Denmark
# Fianna Fáil (4 MEPs) - Ireland
# National Alliance (8 MEPs) - Italy
# Lega Nord (4 MEPs) - Italy
# The Right (1 MEP) - Italy
# For Fatherland and Freedom - Latvia
# Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union (1 MEP) -Lithuania
# Order and Justice (1 MEP) - Lithuania
# Law and Justice (7 MEPs) - Poland
# League of Polish Families (5 MEPs) - Poland
# Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland (5 MEPs) - Poland
# Polish Peasant Party "Piast" (3 MEPs) - Poland

So where is the issue?

Italy's National Alliance is the largest party within the grouping and will be merging with Silvia Burlesconi's Forza Italia, which means its MEP's will be moved to the EPP-ED Group. Fianna Fail also looks likely to try and leave the group (again). The last time it was rebuffed by the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, as the Progressive Democrats were members of this group.

Poland's Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland and League of Polish Families look like they will do badly in the polls. Neither of these parties won representation to the Polish Parliament in 2007.

The other members are also being tempted away. Poland's Law and Justice party is one such party that is being tempted into a new grouping by current members of the European Democrats.

2009 will be an interesting year for the European Parliament. There is also movements to end the European Democrats which will be a slight loss to the EPP-ED grouping, but not that much as ED members do not take the whip!

Related articles by Zemanta

• More EU "web streaming services"