The work of a European parliamentarian, what a great experience (Tarabella)

(B2) For Marc Tarabella, Belgian Socialist* MEP, the work of Europeans is not well enough known. For the one who has been present in the European Parliament since 2004, there are still things to improve.

14 years as a deputy is a long time. What do you remember from your experience?

The experience, for me, is superb because we are open both to the whole of Europe and to the world. We still meet people who have been or who are still big names in their Member State. I was lucky to have the confidence of my group to have fairly important work, it's a great recognition internally. Outside, we don't know. It means that our work is not recognized, is not known. And it's a shame because there is a part of the job that is really very interesting. It's a little frustrating sometimes… And then, you meet people who have a different past, a different history, who speak other languages. It allowed me to open up to people, regions and realities that I probably never would have been able to approach if I wasn't an MEP.

You mention the fact that your work is not recognized…

Europe is criticized from all sides even though it is doing good things. Maybe she doesn't sell them well. At my level, like other deputies, we are often called upon to present and explain what we are doing. Unfortunately, we don't always reach the masses. I recently took part in a debate with the young liberals who wanted to know what was my perception at European level of the liberal family. Often I find it useful. Hoping there is a multiplier effect. But that means that we also demystify the image that Europe has because we manage to explain how we decide, how it is done. It's not bad to go and explain the real basis of the ideas that we defend and the directives or regulations that we vote on.

What prompted you to be a candidate in the elections?

Each time I made scores in my region which were increasing but never elected. So I had the confidence of my president Elio Di Rupo who placed me well on the European list. Through what are called deputies, I arrived at the European Parliament. So, I have to be modest about that. If he had thought of someone else, the list would have been fine too, without me. Somehow, I am quite grateful to my party and to my president for having selected me to be a candidate for the European elections.

Speaking of Elio Di Rupo, do we feel he wants to present himself as the top of the list for the next Europeans?

He is a very secretive gentleman who will say things clearly but perhaps not right away. But it is possible, it is plausible. It would not be surprising because other prime ministers, or former prime ministers, or big names in Belgian politics wanted to complete their journey in Europe.

What do you think of the role of the European Parliament? Do you think he has enough weight?

No not yet. In all the treaties, the Parliament is probably the European entity which has increased in power in terms of its powers. She has increased her powers over time, with each treaty. And the Treaty of Lisbon is there to remind us of this since in 2009 it granted us co-decision, that is to say equal weight with respect to the Council, on 40 additional matters. Before, we were only consulted. Since 2009, we have been like the Council: equal to equal. So that is great progress. It's not enough because, in a whole series of matters today, we realize that, in the Council, deciding the budget for example, we don't have the power. We can make resolutions on that but it does not have the force of law. The initiative: we would like the Commission to legislate on this type of problem. If it does not legislate, if it does not make a proposal, we cannot do it. We can just ask him through the initiative report and somewhere, I find that it's a little something that we miss. So we don't have enough power yet, but we're not symbolic either. Over time, we have nevertheless become an entity that has grown in importance.

The appointment of Martin Selmayr has caused trouble in the European institutions, what is your view...?

It saddens me completely. I do not question the skills of the guy but in the way, it is scandalous. Jean-Claude Juncker took all the other commissioners by surprise. There is no one who has dared to "mouftre", there is no one who has dared to grumble. We accept snakes. I find that the whole Commission then is complicit in this. And frankly, we should not be surprised if one day there is a vote of no confidence in the Commission. It will not be only the extreme right which will vote no confidence, or the extreme left. People who, like me, try on a daily basis to ensure that the European message is passed on, its relevance in a difficult situation, at some point, all our work is undermined by behavior like that, of people who think only of their personal destiny in defiance of the rules. When we advocate transparency, we have to assume it. I find that Mr. Juncker is aging really badly…

(Comments collected and formatted by Claire Boutry)

* First elected to the European Parliament in 2004, Marc Tarabella left his post to become a minister in 2007. In 2009, he was re-elected. He is a member of the Commission for Agriculture and Rural Development and Vice Chairman of the ASEAN Delegation.

Face-to-face interview on March 22, 2018, at the premises of the European Parliament