French president Emmanuel Macron backs EU policy to halt Eurosceptic tide after Brexit

The French president came out in favour of introducing pan-European MEPs to the parliament when Britain leaves.

Brexit in 2019 will leave 73 seats up for grabs in EU elections taking place later that year.

And desperate Mr Macron hopes the proposal will stop the vacant seats being filled by scores of Eurosceptic politicians.

France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria have seen resurgent anti-EU parties in recent years.

French officials last week said the policy would “increase the visibility of trans-European parties in public opinion and stimulate the campaign”.

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They added: “At a time when the UK is leaving the union, such a reform will also send a message of unity and confidence in the European project.”

The proposal, which is also backed by Rome, is to be discussed at a European Parliament meeting on September 11.

Sandro Gozi, Italy’s EU minister, told the Financial Times it was “very important” to have Mr Macron on board.

He added: “If we want to build European democracy, we have to stimulate what’s lacking: transnational politics in Europe and real European political parties.

“We have to build consensus for it, it’s very important politically and symbolically.”

Mr Gozi said other EU countries, including Belgium and Greece, were also “open” to the idea, although Germany had kept a “low profile”.

Emmanuel Macron‘s pro-Brussels party En Marche! is expected to play a major role in the cross-EU lists of candidates.

Sources close to the French leader said the new MEPs should be allocated “about 50 seats” in the European Parliament from a total of 750.

Under the proposals, each voter would be able to cast a ballot for a national list and a pan-European list, they said.

Rome first floated the idea last year in the aftermath of the UK’s historic Brexit vote.

The European Parliament will propose the rules that will govern the 2019 polls.

However, national governments across the bloc have the power to vote them down.


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