No decision if VVD will be kicked out of Renew Europe EU faction over PVV alliance

A decision has not yet been made regarding the fate of the VVD faction within the European Parliament group Renew Europe. The decision will not happen until sometime within the coming weeks, group leader Valérie Hayer told the press.

She previously threatened to expel the VVD from the group, because the VVD has violated Renew Europe rules by agreeing to form a Cabinet with a far-right party, in this case the PVV. She had previously announced that she would take action as early as a day after the European Parliament elections, which concluded on Sunday.

"This is a discussion that we are having confidentially. The decision on this will be taken in the coming weeks," the French MEP said. The VVD was projected to hold four of its five seats in European Parliament according to exit polling and voter data analyzed on Sunday night.

But Hayer is not making the decision about the VVD independently, she emphasized. That happens within the faction. “My responsibility as chairman of the group is to give it the opportunity to have a discussion about this question.” Hayer said he would lead that discussion.

Hayer has been in the European Parliament since 2019. She was elected chair of the Renew Europe group in January after VVD MEP Malik Azmani withdrew from that position.