BREAKING: The European Parliament has been excluded from the new “rearm Europe” plan

The Commission’s utilisation of Article 122 of the Treaty to circumvent a vote on the recently proposed €150 billion defence financing instrument was condemned by certain MEPs. Some individuals are less apprehensive.

The European Parliament has been excluded from the decision-making process regarding the recently announced €800 billion plan to enhance its support for Ukraine in the short term and guarantee its strategic autonomy to defend itself in the long term.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested the establishment of a new financial instrument, which would enable the EU executive to submit a text directly to the Council in an emergency, bypassing the European Parliament. The instrument would be valued at €150 billion in loans, and it would be part of the so-called ‘Rearm Europe’ plan.

“This is the sole option for emergency financial assistance, and it is precisely what we require at this time,” von der Leyen informed MEPs in Strasbourg. She also stated that the EU executive would provide Parliament with updates on the matter.

Since its introduction into the EU Treaties in 2007, Article 122 has been employed in only a handful of instances, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

It enables the European Union to reach a consensus on “measures that are suitable for the economic situation, particularly in the event of severe supply chain disruptions for specific products,” without the European Parliament’s approval.

Von der Leyen’s decision has elicited a variety of responses from MEPs, including those from her own political party.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the Parliament, has stated that the process requires the complete involvement of the Parliament and that it requires increased democratic legitimacy.

“It is a mistake to circumvent Parliament with Article 122.” Weber informed his colleagues in the Strasbourg plenary that Europe’s democracy is founded on two pillars: its citizens and its member states. “We require both for our security,” he stated.

Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament, recently stated that the chamber experienced a significant shift to the right during the most recent EU elections in June 2024. She also noted that “an increasing number of individuals were voting out of a sense of desperation and frustration.”

She informed EU leaders during the special European Council summit on 6 March that “working through the European Parliament, especially on decisions of this magnitude, is a way of fostering trust in our union.”

Metsola also stated that the Parliament would adjust to the challenging circumstances by working quickly, efficiently, and effectively, stating, “Yes, we need swift action, but acting together is the only way of ensuring broad and deep public backing.”

On Wednesday, the European Parliament was offered the opportunity to provide its perspective on the plan; however, it was limited to a non-legislative resolution, which was adopted by 419 votes in favour, 204 against, and 46 abstentions..

MEPs from all political parties advocated for a more robust “Parliament oversight and scrutiny role, in accordance with the EU’s expansion of its defence role.”

Among other measures, MEPs urged member states to increase their defence spending to at least 3% of GDP, support the establishment of a bank for defence, security, and resilience, and investigate a system of European defence bonds to pre-finance significant military investments in Wednesday’s resolution.

Nevertheless, the Parliament’s resolution did not include any specific condemnation of the use of article 122, despite the fact that some MEPs had attempted to introduce such an amendment.

The following recital was proposed by a few lawmakers from the Left and Greens/EFA groups: “The Parliament expresses profound concern regarding the exclusion from the decisional process; regrets the decision to utilise Article 122 […] for the new EU instrument intended to bolster the defence capabilities of its members.”

However, the amendment was denied with 444 votes against, including nearly all members of the EPP, the Socialist and Democrats (S&D), Renew Europe, and European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) groups.

“We would prefer to be more involved in the development of this plan; however, this is not a significant conflict for us,” ECR co-president Nicola Procaccini stated in an interview with Euronews, elucidating his organization’s decision.

Riho Terras, the Estonian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and vice-chair of the Security and Defence Committee (SEDE) of the European People’s Party (EPP), contends that this is a time-sensitive matter and that the European Union should prioritise the delivery of results over the process itself.

Terras stated to Euronews, “We (the SEDE committee) do not feel marginalised as long as we have oversight and transparency regarding the use of the funds that the Commission lends to the member states.”