BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2019) Philippe Lamberts, the co-leader of the Greens group in the EU parliament, rejected on Monday the possibility of forming coalitions in the new legislature, saying, in particular, that there was no chance the group would join forces with either the Socialists or French President Emmanuel Macron's La Republique En Marche party.
The news comes ahead of this week's European elections, which will begin on Thursday. The Greens are projected to win 57 seats in next 751-member parliament, according to the parliament's Public Opinion Monitoring Unit.�According to media reports, the Greens might lure some socialist and liberal voters since the group's votes are critical to securing a broad pro-EU alliance in the future. �
"We, as Greens, will be no one's instrument, neither the Socialists nor [French President Emmanuel] Macron. We are an autonomous force. We are neither on sale nor for rent," Lamberts told the Politico media outlet.
Earlier this month, Belgian politician Guy Verhofstadt, who currently heads the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, the fourth largest political force in the European Parliament, said that he wanted to form a "new, centrist political family" after the elections, to be held from May 23-26. It is believed that this new group could involve a possible partnership with Macron and candidates from his party.
Meanwhile, Italian Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Lega party, Matteo Salvini, has built an alliance of Europe's right-wing parties. On Saturday, Salvini held a rally under the slogan "Italy First! Toward a Europe of Common Sense" that was attended by members from 11 parties, including French National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen.
Veselin Mareshki, the leader of Bulgaria's Volya (Will) party and vice chairman of the country's parliament, told Sputnik on Sunday that Salvini's alliance was likely to win at least 150 seats in new parliament.
