The National Rally’s Jordan Bardella and the far-right Patriots for Europe are vying for the chairmanship of the Committee on Culture and Education within the European Parliament. This committee oversees important files related to education policy, media and audiovisual policies, cultural funding programs, and citizens’ outreach activities such as the European Capital of Culture. The European Youth Forum has expressed concerns that allowing self-proclaimed Eurosceptics to lead these important programs could undermine intercultural skills, tolerance, and support for the European Union. The role of the committee chair is crucial, as they have administrative prerogatives, represent the committee to other institutions, and play a symbolic role in European politics.
The chair of the Committee on Culture and Education has the responsibility of organizing meetings, setting the agenda, and deciding on matters related to media freedom, education, and cultural funding programs. The chair also plays a key role in ensuring smooth cooperation between different European Parliament committees and represents the committee in various political functions. Pro-European forces currently hold a majority in the committee, which could potentially override the position of the Patriot MEPs if an alliance is formed among them. However, the smaller size of the committee makes it prone to member abstention, which could have an impact on key decisions.
The next mandate for the Committee on Culture and Education is expected to focus on key dossiers such as the implementation and monitoring of the European Media Freedom Act, as well as the revision of the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive. Other files to be discussed include the revision of the Erasmus+ budget, the Lux Audience Awards, and reports on education and European identity. The International Federation of Journalists has expressed concerns that allowing the Patriots to chair the committee could undermine media freedom principles, highlighting the importance of the upcoming vote on the committee’s leadership.
Despite the broad centrist coalition within the European Parliament, it is unlikely that the Patriots will succeed in seizing leadership of the Committee on Culture and Education due to being shunned by other parties. If the Patriots’ mission fails, the committee may revert to the Greens, with German MEP Nela Riehl from the Volt party being a potential candidate for the chairmanship. However, the political landscape in the European Parliament is always subject to surprises, and the potential leadership of the Patriots in the committee could have significant implications on EU cultural policies and broader European political dynamics. The outcome of the vote on the committee chairmanship will be closely watched by various stakeholders in the EU.
