On Wednesday, Andrzej Halicki, MEP of the Civic Coalition, was elected one of the vice-chairmen of the European People's Party. This is the largest faction in the European Parliament. “Poland's importance in the largest political group in the European Parliament is growing,” commented KO MEP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz.
Head of the Polish PO delegation/PSL in the European Parliament, Andrzej Halicki will be one of the 10 newly elected vice-presidents of the European People's Party (EPP). Manfred Weber was elected its head for another, fourth term.
Andrzej HalickiPAP/Radek Pietruszka
“Poland's importance is growing”
The Pole received the greatest support among the candidates applying for this position, which, according to the Polish delegation, means that he has the strongest mandate.
Each vice-president will receive a separate portfolio of matters to be dealt with, but these will be distributed at a later stage. They may concern one of four thematic clusters: foreign affairs, internal affairs, budget and economy. There are also positions of vice-president for discipline and treasurer.
– I'm taking this one choice as an expression of appreciation for the Polish delegation and recognition for Polish women and men who confirmed in the European elections that they want a strong, democratic and European Poland – commented Halicki on Wednesday. He added that the Polish delegation intends to fight against populism and nationalism and continue to support it Ukraine, work for EU enlargement, and fight for a Europe of solidarity. – We will make sure that European solutions are beneficial for Poland – said the PO MEP.
Halicki's choice was commented on on the X platform by, among others: MEP of the Civic Coalition Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz. She emphasized in the entry that the Polish politician was elected deputy head of the EPP with the largest number of votes. “Poland's importance in the largest political group in the European Parliament is growing,” she commented.
Ewa Kopacz removed from the voting list
In addition to choosing the composition of the presidium, on Wednesday the EPP also officially approved its candidate for President of the European Parliament. It is the current head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
Read also: Media: Italian woman arrested in Hungary released after being elected to the European Parliament
Halicki's nomination was not without confusion. Manfred Weber was originally the candidate for this position Ewa Kopacz, explaining this by the need to maintain “gender balance” in the party's presidium. Kopacz, however, sent a letter to the faction leader in which she informed that she had never applied for such a position. Ultimately, her name was removed from the list on Tuesday, and Halicki remained the only candidate.
The EPP faction now has 190 seats and is the largest political force in the EP. They remain the strongest national team in the EPL group Germanywho have 29 seats, and in second place is the Polish delegation (23 seats, including 21 for KO and two for PSL), which overtook the delegation in the new term of the European Parliament Spain for one seat.
Main photo source: PAP/Radek Pietruszka