N-VA finds greatest autonomy and shared euro-realism with the ECR group

In the European Parliament the N-VA is joining the ‘European Conservatives and Reformists’ ( ECR The N-VA is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), a conservative, eurorealistic parliamentary group in the European Parliament. The N-VA shares their realistic view of the European project and also advocates for the correct and intensive application of the subsidiarity principle. For example, we must not be afraid to ask ourselves if it would be better to leave certain European initiatives to the Member States. The N-VA also identifies with the emphases that the ECR places on the social-economic issues. Since the 2014 elections, the ECR has become the third largest parliamentary group in the European Parliament. ECR ). “We chose the political group that guarantees our greatest possible autonomy to freely determine our standpoints and voting decisions”, explains European top candidate Johan Van Overtveldt.

“There is not a single group that embodies our range of ideas a hundred percent. However, you have to join a group to be allocated speaking time in the Parliament and to become a member of committees. We therefore examined where we could achieve our project most effectively”, clarifies Van Overtveldt.

“As a Eurorealist party the N-VA rejects the idea of a European superstate but we are not totally negative either. We are positively critical of the European Union. In this respect we are on the same wavelength as the main groups in the ECR”, states Van Overtveldt. “But we also understand each other in socio-economic terms.”

Van Overtveldt does not deny that there are also differences with some members of the ECR group: “Just like all the other parties in the ECR we are free to determine our standpoints and our voting decisions. It would be hypocritical to deny others those same rights. However, if certain members take standpoints with which we cannot identify at all we will also unequivocally distance ourselves from them.”