Yesterday, Italy’s Movimento 5 Stelle (M5S) and its 17 MEPs had their application to join ALDE – the fourth largest political group in the European Parliament – rejected.

GUE/NGL’s candidate for the Parliament presidency, Italian MEP Eleonora Forenza, said that ALDE’s decision mirrors M5S’s lack of identity and political direction:

“M5S’s rejection by ALDE shows the fundamental dysfunctionality of the party – which makes its decisions through an uninformed online consultation without a much-needed internal debate.”

“In effect, M5S’s intention to move from one of the most Eurosceptic groups in the European Parliament to a group that goes as far as advocating for federalism demonstrates the party’s total lack of focus and political acumen.”

“It is astonishing that M5S did not seemingly see a contradiction with ALDE’s record in supporting neoliberalism and austerity.”

Forenza criticised ALDE’s leader – also a contender for the upcoming presidency elections in the Parliament – for being a one-person show:

“Guy Verhofstadt came out badly in all of this with his own group disavowing the agreement he made with M5S and done without their consent.”

“GUE/NGL and my presidency represent the true alternative for Europe fighting against destructive neoliberal politics for the continent and the internal undemocratic arrangements at the Parliament by the so-called ‘Grand Coalition’ and the Right.”

“Meanwhile, M5S MEPs must shoulder responsibility for this failure and know that the time for opportunism is over: M5S must choose between neo-liberalism and social justice, and between true democracy and a pseudo-democracy,” the Italian MEP concluded.