The 5 Star Movement once again requests shelter from the left-wing group in the European Parliament

The 5 Star Movement (M2S) once again knocks on the door of the Left/GUE group in the European Parliament. The Italian party, which obtained eight MEPs in the elections on June 9, presented this Tuesday a formal request to join the group that includes Irene Montero and Isa Serra (Vamos) and the head of Sumar’s list, Estrella Galán. According to parliamentary sources, the group is debating this incorporation, but will not make a decision until this Thursday because it wants to consult all the parties involved.

The left-wing group is currently composed of 39 MEPs. The inclusion of the eight members of the M5S would not represent any change in the order, that is, it would continue in seventh place, similar to what happens with the group that is being promoted by the Hungarian Viktor Orbán and the far-right faction of Rights, Identity and Democracy.

The 5 Star Movement had already asked to become part of the Unitary Left in 2019, but the door was closed in record time due to its government pact with Matteo Salvini’s League. M5S MEPs were left orphaned as the Alternative for Germany (AfD) fled to Identity and Democracy and the Brexit left Farage’s party, with which they shared a group with other small Eurosceptic parties. M5S also tried to join the Liberals, but were not accepted either, so they remained unregistered.

In this new legislature, the M5S once again asked the left to join it after having tried without success to form another group that included various formations, among them Sahra Wagenknecht, who had left Die Linke due to its conservative positions on issues like immigration. According to several sources informed elDiario.es, Juntes MEP Toni Comín has also been involved in the talks. However, the figures have not been revealed.

The M5S has extended the deadline to join the Left since the meeting for the composition of the group was this Wednesday, although MEPs can change groups at any time during the legislature. The next step is a meeting of the group’s leadership on Thursday in which they will question the M5S about its position, as the co-president, Manon Aubry (La France Insoumise), explained in statements to journalists in which she assured that the relevant European policies in matters, such as the Migration Pact, have been voted on.

The Frenchwoman has insisted on rejecting Ursula von der Leyen for another term as head of the European Commission and has derided other groups for giving her a “blank check”. The “majority of von der Leyen’s coalition”, as she has called it, consists of populists, socialists and liberals, and the Greens are ready to support it this time.

Aubry has assured that the Italian Sinistra delegation, already integrated into the group, is ready to stay with the M5S. “They are open to it. It becomes a context for the restructuring of the left in Italy, which is interesting,” said the MEP, who has called for “responsibility” like the French New Popular Front to defeat the far-right. Aubry has downplayed the fact that the M5S will become the second largest delegation (after his own delegation, which has nine seats) and that it will not influence decision-making because it is a “federal group”.

According to Italian newspaper Il Corriere della Sera, 20 MEPs are trying to join The Left. However, sources in the group say that for now they have only received a formal request from the Italian party.