Defence, EU Parliament clears way for rearmament plan. PD divided, M5S and Lega opposed

Brussels – The European Parliament supports the Rearm Europe plan for the continent’s defenccontinent’s defence. And it steps aside, essentially agreeing to remain excluded from the legislative process to shorten the time frame. With 419 votes in favour, 204 against and 46 abstentions, the Strasbourg Chamber approved a resolution in which it “calls on the EU to act urgently to ensure its security” and calls for “truly innovative efforts.”

The European People’s Party, the Renew Liberals, and almost all the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) voted with Ursula von der Leyen. In the socialist family, the defections within the delegation of the Democratic Party, which split in two, are striking. So did the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, with the Melonians of Fratelli d’Italia in favour of the resolution and the PiS Poles opposed. The Greens jumped on the bandwagon and supported European rearmament, except for a few units, including the four from the Green and Left Alliance (AVS). The extremes of the chamber touched: Patriots and Sovereignists on one side and the European Left group on the other oppose. So did Italian MEPs from the Lega and the 5-Star Movement.

The non-binding resolution is the EU Parliament’s contribution to drafting the White Paper on the Future of European Defence, which the European Commission will present on March 19. However, it also became the only opportunity for political groups to express their consent to the Rearm Europe plan, given von der Leyen’s appeal to the emergency procedure that will prevent the European Parliament from amending the legislative proposal.

EU Parliament exits stage right, yes to emergency procedure for Rearm Europe

The EU Parliament “welcomes the five-point Rearm Europe plan,” reads the text adopted today. This passage was approved by an even larger majority than the one supporting the resolution as a whole. Two amendments that suggested supplementing the generic endorsement with some specifics were rejected: MEPs from Fratelli d’Italia asked to “emphasize that the name Rearm Europe risks being misleading and too restrictive” and thus rename it “Defend Europe,” while the Greens group wanted to “emphasize that the planned investments should address the lack of cooperation and coordination between member states, including measures to ensure full interoperability and make joint procurement the rule.”

The AVS MEPs, together with 5-Star Movement delegation leader Pasquale Tridico, had also submitted an “anti-gag” amendment—as the Green MEP Ignazio Marino called it—in which they expressed “grave concern that the Parliament has been excluded from decision-making on such a strategic decision.” Put to a vote, a large majority in the chamber rejected the amendment against the emergency procedure, and supported instead by Italian MEPs from AVS, M5S, Lega, and PD. Again, the Dems voted against the socialist group to which they belong.

For the 5-Star delegation, the fact that the European Parliament agrees to step aside on “an insane 800 billion plan that will increase military escalation and further impoverish our Europe” is “a black page for European democracy.” The Italian Green coalition in Strasbourg denounces criticalities “in the merit and the method”: in the first case because “common defence does not pass from individual states through the strengthening of national armies,” in the second because von der Leyen chose to “prevent legitimate democratic confrontation and the vote of the Assembly.” In a note, the Lega said it “does not share either the narrative nor the bellicist drift of Brussels, which wants to put us and future generations in debt to spend more than €800 billion on weapons.”

Among the EU Parliament’s suggestions—which von der Leyen may or may not take up at this point—is the possibility of “introducing a system of European bonds to finance large-scale military investments” and using “unused coronabonds.” Furthermore, in the wake of what suggested from Italy’s Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti to his European counterparts, MEPs “support the proposal to establish an investment guarantee program based on the InvestEU model with an open architecture to stimulate private sector investment.”

According to MEPs, the EU must set a “unified and clear” vision for the European defence industry, based in the long run on the principle of “buy European” but without such a preference undermining the Union’s “defense readiness.”

No cohesion funds for defence, FdI and FI reject amendment

The chamber gave up on putting a clear stake against the possibility of using cohesion funds for military spending, as von der Leyen had speculated. The amendment proposed by the European Left to “under no circumstances allow the use of European structural funds for other purposes, such as the purchase of weapons or covering military expenditures,” was rejected. The position of Meloni’s cohort was ambiguous, abstaining despite the premier’s reassurances on safeguarding Cohesion funds, while Forza Italia MEPs opposed it. “Fratelli d’Italia and Forza Italia once again confirm themselves as enemies of Southern Italy,” bitterly commented Valentina Palmisano, a 5-Star MEP.

The no to the diversion of cohesion funds remains a red line for the Social Democrats group, which has nevertheless decided—with the exception of part of the Italian delegation—to support von der Leyen’s plan and the resolution as a whole. “Defence investments should not be at the expense of social welfare. Cohesion funds should not be used for defence,” the S&D group reiterated in a note.

The enemies are “Russia and its allies,” but “worried” about the U.S.

In the resolution, MEPs also touched on other defence and security issues. Such as “recent statements by members of the U.S. administration, accompanied by the strong pressure exerted on Ukraine by the U.S. leadership,” which “reflect a change in U.S. foreign policy.” This makes even more obvious the urgency for Europe to “strengthen its security and defence to be able to help Ukraine defend itself.”

The EU Parliament puts in black and white what von der Leyen cannot say, namely that “Russia, supported by its allies Belarus, China, North Korea and Iran, poses the most significant direct and indirect threat to the EU and its security.” Not to mention “concerns about the future attitude of the United States toward Russia, NATO and European security.”