Sean Kelly urges Fianna Fail MEPs to back von der Leyen as commission president

Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly has urged Fianna Fail to back Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president, saying those rejecting her “will be voting with the likes of Trump”.

The Kerry MEP said voting against Ms von der Leyen due to one issue – her handling of the aftermath of the October 7 attack on Israel – “doesn’t add up”.

He also said that if Fianna Fail’s four MEPs were to vote against Ms von der Leyen, it could affect their party colleague Michael McGrath’s chances of getting a key portfolio as Ireland’s EU commissioner nominee.

Ms von der Leyen, a German former defence minister, wants to stay on as president for another five years after a strong showing for her centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) in European elections last month.

An agreement between three political groups – the EPP, Renew and S&D – has seen her emerge as the most likely candidate to head the bloc’s powerful executive branch.

But Ms von der Leyen is deeply unpopular in some corners of the EU Parliament, where she will need the support of 361 of the 720 legislators to hold on to her job.

In the 2019 vote on whether to approve her as president, she won just nine votes more than the required threshold.

The vote on a second term, to be held next week, is also expected to be close.

Mr Kelly said: “It was tight the last time and it will probably be tight this time. I think for that reason, we have to put the overall good of Ireland and of Europe first.

“Taking Ursula von der Leyen out for one issue only when she got most of the other issues right, and especially when she did so much for Ireland in relation to Brexit, I think it just doesn’t add up to me. You have to be responsible.

“And who is the alternative? The election results are not going to change. So what is the alternative?

“We have complete upheaval in Europe if she is rejected, no commissioner can be appointed, and the winners will be the likes of (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban and those who don’t want any progress in Europe, who will be delighted.

“So they will be voting with Orban, they will be voting with the likes of Trump and all those who want to see Europe falling apart.”

Ms von der Leyen has been criticised for her handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict after the October 7 attack, with calls for Irish MEPs not to support her bid for a second term.

Mr Kelly acknowledged she “did make mistakes”, including traveling to Israel, but he praised her work during the Covid-19 pandemic, on Russia’s threat “to freeze Europe out”, and in “standing up” for Ireland during Brexit.

“So all these things seem to be overlooked and just concentrating on the latest involvement in (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s overreaction, which we all condemn, but I don’t think she could be held responsible for that.”

He said the Middle East conflict “won’t come into play” for Ms von der Leyen as commission president.

“Just picking out one foreign policy area, which she shouldn’t be involved in and won’t be involved in, I think, that wouldn’t be justification for rejecting her.”

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said last month that further discussions would be needed on whether his party’s four MEPs would vote for Ms von der Leyen.

After his re-election as Fianna Fail MEP for Ireland South, Billy Kelleher said he would not support Ms von der Leyen.

“I’ve been very clear throughout this election – I’ve stated it in advance of the election, I’ve stated it during the election, I’m stating it after the election – that I will not be supporting the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen.”

Mr Kelly said those statements were made before it was clear that Ms von der Leyen would be the nominee.

“That was only decided after the elections and that was decided to reflect the outcome of the elections,” he said.

“It’s a package involving her, (Kaja) Kallas and (Antonio) Costa in key positions. So to be deciding in advance of the election on how you’re going to vote in the outcome without the outcome being known, it doesn’t make sense to me.

“(Fianna Fail) are part of the Renew group who are part of the package deal and Billy Kelleher is the first vice chairperson on that group. So how can he sit as the first vice chairperson in the group, which forms a deal, and they decide to vote against it?

“You can’t have it both ways. If they’re not happy with Renew, then they should look at some other group.”