This week, Westminster debacle left us all slack-jawed, Italy’s new government is a little bit odd, and Vdl has her full Commission squad.
This episode is sponsored by Plastics Europe, more about them at the end.
Happy rentrée. I hope, like us, you’ve had a relaxing break and come back with batteries fully recharged… because you’re going to need them!
First up, Westminster came back all guns blazing as UK MPs voted to back a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.
UK MPs vote by 329 to 300 to back a bill aimed at blocking a no-deal #Brexit on 31 October
Latest updates: https://t.co/h8f6Lp8ChV pic.twitter.com/g8WqRUrKAa
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) September 4, 2019
British PM Boris Johnson – no, I still can’t get used to saying that – didn’t exactly conduct himself with aplomb at the dispatch box, calling opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn a “chlorinated chicken,” “a big girl’s blouse” and saying his ideas were “shit.”
Hardly prime ministerial Mr Johnson. In fact it reminds us more of someone else:
**Trump Klaxon**
The altercation naturally sparked headlines including this abomination!
Helen Nianias is keen to know both the original brief and the deadline the art team were given!
Keen to know both the original brief and the deadline the art team were given pic.twitter.com/ANcFPHvTFw
— Helen Nianias (@helennianias) September 4, 2019
In a frenetic few days for BoJo, James Felton summed it up best:
Day 1 of parliament:
– loses his first vote in commons
– reduces his majority to minus 43
Day 2
– becomes first PM in history to lose his first three commons votes
Day 3
– his own brother quits rather than see out the week
Day 1 of parliament:
– loses his first vote in commons, first PM to do so since 1894
– reduces his majority to minus 43Day 2
– becomes first PM in history to lose his first three commons votesDay 3
– his own brother quits rather than see out the week https://t.co/Qq85o3h2Do— James Felton (@JimMFelton) September 5, 2019
Antoine Bertrand likened Boris to Monty Python’s knight in the Holy Grail, blindly blithering on, when it’s clear he’s been defeated.
https://twitter.com/AntBertrand/status/1169559457447206918/photo/1
Meanwhile Jacob Rees Mogg didn’t exactly raise the tone. His bizarre slouching soon had photoshoppers everywhere editing with glee:
https://twitter.com/dombrewer/status/1169549756424687616https://twitter.com/hallidayfineart/status/1169541145568759814
Just another day in Parliament #BrexitShambles #JacobReesSmug #ParliamentVsThePeople #delacroix #ReesMogg #brexit #fiddlingwhileromeburns pic.twitter.com/jOejoXwU5X
— Andrew Halliday (@hallidayfineart) September 5, 2019
Though I have to say this is my favourite:
#JacobReesSmug pic.twitter.com/82r8ssDWZw
— Martin King (@timekord) September 5, 2019
As the UK continues to lead the basketcase of Europe award, Italy finally seems to be getting its house in order.
Catherine Fieschi asked is there a chance that Boris Johnson might shoot himself in the foot as comprehensively as Salvini did?
Is there a chance that #BorisJohnsonPM might shoot himself in the foot as comprehensively as #Salvini did? Small chance, but still there I think. #Overreach has a price.
— Catherine Fieschi (@CFieschi) September 2, 2019
As the new Italian government was officially installed on Thursday minus Matteo Salvini, Italy’s former interior minister, and de facto leader of the anti-mass-migration movement.
New Italian government installed, set to hold first cabinet meeting https://t.co/ectwHS0729 pic.twitter.com/W5bZO2yd6b
— Gidado Shuaib (@GidadoYS) September 5, 2019
Jean-Claude Juncker sent his congratulations to Giuseppe Conte on his reappointment.
🇮🇹🇪🇺 I am convinced that Italy will be able to play an important role in addressing these truly European challenges, living up to its responsibility as a founding Member of our Union.
👇 My congratulatory letter to @GiuseppeConteIT on his re-appointment. pic.twitter.com/cte9mSV5HH
— Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) September 5, 2019
While Belarus News said: “Similar to a dragonfly, the average Italian government has a lifespan of about six to eight months.”
Similar to a dragonfly, the average Italian government has a lifespan of about six to eight months. pic.twitter.com/n7EcRVdAzg
— Belarus News (Eng.) (@BelarusMiniInfo) September 5, 2019
Deutsche Welle News described Italy’s new government as an “unlikely coalition” of the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party.
Italy's new government is an unlikely coalition between the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and center-left Democratic Party. https://t.co/SzjsWRQWIb
— DW News (@dwnews) September 4, 2019
Valentino Larcinese tweeted: “Whatever your view on the new Italian government, it is difficult to explain to non-Italians how could government switch from right to left with no discontinuity in Prime Minister identity. There is a word for this, “trasformismo”.
whatever your view on the new Italian government, it is difficult to explain to non-Italians how could government switch from right to left with no discontinuity in Prime Minister identity. There is a word for this, "trasformismo", and plenty of it in Italian political history
— Valentino Larcinese (@vlarcinese) September 4, 2019
Magnus Franklin can’t help but think how the Spitzenkandidat process and the choice of Ursula von der Leyen as Commission President, could have played out differently with the current Italian government around the table.
Can't help but think how the #Spitzenkandidat process and appointment of @vonderleyen, just a couple months ago, could have played out differently with the current Italian government around the table.
— Magnus Franklin (@magnusfranklin) September 5, 2019
Well, quite.
So turning to Brussels rentree and the new Commission.
With the nomination of Paolo Gentiloni as Italy’s pick for Commissioner on Thursday,
Now it's official: @PaoloGentiloni is Italy’s pick for Commissioner.
Possible portfolio: under a Council agreement, vice-president for competition (according to Conte).
More on EURACTIV's tracker 👇https://t.co/KEL8siqfE8
— EURACTIV (@EURACTIV) September 5, 2019
Ursula von der Leyen said she had received names from all the EU Member States and will present the full College on Tuesday.
I am happy to have received names from all the EU Member States. Now looking forward to assembling a well-balanced College which I’ll present on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/EfZbJy609r
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 5, 2019
Jack Parrock spotted that she was “Absolutely nailing the “pointing at things” game already!”
Absolutely nailing the "pointing at things that mean something" game already 👆. Great work @vonderleyen… https://t.co/RUKgGS4ian
— Jack Parrock (@jackeparrock) September 5, 2019
But how will she manage with the kissing and the awkward three-way handshake??
Jean Claude Juncker’s a tough act to follow!
But how will she manage with the kissing and the awkward three-way handshake?? @JunckerEU's a tough act to follow! pic.twitter.com/oGrX2FTA2A
— Jennifer Baker (@BrusselsGeek) September 5, 2019
A reminder from Sam Morgan: the way things stand now, S&D group will have more affiliated Commissioners than EPP, men will only outnumber women 14 to 13 and it’ll all be led by the first female president. Brave new EU world
REMINDER: the way things stand now, S&D group will have more affiliated Commissioners than EPP, men will only outnumber women 14 to 13 (in expected scenario) and it’ll all be led by the first female president. Brave new EU world
— Sam Morgan (@SamJamesMorgan) September 5, 2019
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— PlasticsEurope (@PlasticsEurope) September 3, 2019
That’s it for this week, join us next Friday for more more of the same.