NEMO is pleased to see that the recent call for a pro-European leadership of the CULT Committee has been heard. Last week, NEMO endorsed a statement that called upon the European Parliament to ensure that the appointment of the Chair, Vice-Chairs and members of the CULT Committee is made with great care. It was published by the Cultural Deal for Europe partners in response to recent developments where the newly established right-wing nationalist populist group, Patriots for Europe, sought to see one of its members become the Chair of the CULT Committee.
The newly elected CULT Chair Nela Riehl (Greens/EFA, Germany) represents Volt, Europe’s only pan-European party. She received 18 votes, whereas Malika Sorel of the far-right group Patriots for Europe, received 11 votes.
The vice-chairs elected are:
- 1st vice-chair: Bogdan Zdrojewski (EPP, Poland)
- 2nd vice-chair: Emma Rafowicz (S&D, France)
- 3rd vice-chair: Diana Riba i Giner (Greens/EFA, Spain)
- 4th vice-chair: Hristo Petrov (Renew, Bulgaria)
Earlier this month, the CULT Committee had already been established after a month-long series of negotiations and the final composition comprises 30 full members, distributed among the political groups as follows:
- European People’s Party (EPP): 8 members
- Socialists & Democrats (S&D): 6 members
- Patriots for Europe (PfE): 4 members
- Renew Europe (RE): 3 members
- European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR): 3 members
- Greens/EFA: 2 members
- The Left: 2 members
- Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN): 1 member
- Non-attached: 1 member
Learn more about the new CULT Committee and next steps after the European elections in an analysis by Culture Action Europe, who also reminds policymakers: culture is not a bargaining chip.
