A tense standoff within the European Parliament is escalating, pitting the Social Democrats (S&D) against the European People’s Party (EPP) in a battle over the proposed EU Supply Chain Act. The impasse, which has persisted for days, now threatens to fracture the delicate political landscape and potentially draw criticism over opportunistic alliances.
The EPP, frustrated by the lack of consensus, is reportedly poised to push forward its own draft legislation, a move widely expected to secure passage with the anticipated support of far-right factions, including those closely aligned with figures like Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and France’s Marine Le Pen. This prospect has drawn sharp condemnation from Green Party parliamentary group leader Terry Reintke, who directly challenged the commitment of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz to maintaining a clear distance from extremist political forces.
Reintke’s statement, published in “Der Spiegel”, asserted that Merz must intervene to prevent EPP group leader Manfred Weber from “gutting laws concerning global child labor and environmental protection” through an alliance with the far-right. She underscored that Merz has a responsibility to ensure German CDU parliamentarians do not participate in what she described as a “breach of the firewall” against extremist ideologies.
Sources within the parliament reveal that despite ongoing negotiations between S&D and EPP representatives, a compromise has remained elusive. SPD MEP René Repasi allegedly presented several proposals – reportedly backed by the Greens and Liberals – that were consistently rejected by the EPP. The latter consistently signaled its willingness to leverage support from the far-right to achieve its legislative objectives.
The Greens are now publicly accusing the EPP of resorting to what Reintke termed an “extortion attempt” urging the CDU to exert influence and compel the EPP to return to genuine negotiations. The situation raises serious questions about the integrity of the legislative process and the potential for political expediency to undermine fundamental principles of social and environmental responsibility within the European Union. The willingness of the EPP to potentially collaborate with extremist factions to achieve its aims is expected to draw fierce debate and potentially damage the party’s standing across the political spectrum.
