Centrists in Paris: Renew Europe Stakes Out Ground Ahead of von der Leyen’s Big Speech

Members of the European Parliament from the centrist Renew Europe group gathered in Paris on 7 and 8 September for a two-day strategic retreat. The meeting was designed to establish the group’s political priorities in advance of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s annual State of the Union address, scheduled for the following week. During the gathering, Renew Europe MEPs were hosted at the Élysée Palace by French President Emmanuel Macron. The delegation used the sessions to align party messaging and determine where the group will exert pressure on the Commission's forthcoming legislative program.

While the State of the Union address is delivered by the Commission chief, the European Parliament must ultimately pass or reject the legislation that follows. Political groups use these pre-speech strategy sessions—known in EU parlance as 'study days'—to forge consensus among national delegations that do not always see eye-to-eye. For European citizens, the outcome of these internal group discussions dictates which issues get fast-tracked into real EU law, from environmental standards to economic reform, and which are quietly choked off in parliamentary committees.

There is an established ritual in European politics whereby political groups temporarily leave Brussels to discover their core principles in a major European capital. Gathering in Paris and visiting the Élysée Palace serves a dual purpose: it signals alignment with one of the group's chief national backers while giving MEPs a quiet venue to settle internal disagreements out of the immediate glare of the press room. Within the EU legislative triangle—the Commission that proposes laws, the Council representing member states, and the Parliament that votes on them—Renew Europe often holds the pivotal swing votes. Establishing a united front in Paris gives the group maximum leverage when von der Leyen takes the floor in Strasbourg to outline her agenda.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver her State of the Union address before the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg next week. Following her speech, parliamentary group leaders, including representatives from Renew Europe, will take the floor to debate her plans and formally present their demands for the upcoming legislative term.