The co-chair of the Greens group in the European Parliament, Bas Eickhout, announced he will step down as an MEP with immediate effect after acknowledging he had “relationships” that weren’t appropriate for his position.
“I have critically reflected on my own actions in the past period,” he said in a statement on Wednesday. “I have not always done the right thing in the past. I had relationships that did not fit with my role. I should not have done that and I take responsibility for it. This reflection, together with the realization that the party is entering a new phase, has brought me to this decision.”
In a statement on Wednesday, Eickhout’s PRO party said: “He made this decision, among other reasons, because he did not report previous workplace relationships. A professional and open working environment is essential for everyone and forms the core of our code of conduct.” The PRO party is the product of an ongoing merger of the Green-Left party in the Netherlands with the Dutch Social Democrats.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Greens group said it respected and understood Eickhout’s decision to quit.
“We take any allegations of breaches of the code of conduct very seriously,” the group said. “A professional, open working environment for everyone is essential and our group has acted accordingly. We will continue to work on building a culture of respect, trust and openness in the workplace.”
It added: “We understand the impact of this announcement and we would like to highlight that the group has confidential counsellors and other resources available for those affected by these decisions.”
POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook last week reported that Eickhout, 49, had revealed to party colleagues that he was in a relationship with Lena Schilling, 25, the youngest member of the European Parliament.
The resignation “has nothing to do with the relationship with Lena,” Eickhout told POLITICO via a spokesperson. The spokesperson declined to give further details.
The move comes as all leadership positions in Parliament will be up for grabs in January 2027 for the so-called midterm reshuffle, including political group chairmanship.
“I have given it a lot of thought as to whether I want to carry on after the mid-terms, and I have come to the conclusion that I no longer have the energy for it,” he said. “With the establishment of PRO on the horizon, we are entering a new era. The party deserves representatives who will throw themselves into it with full energy.”
Eickhout has been an MEP since 2009, was the lead candidate of the European Green Party in the 2024 EU election and has been the Greens group leader in the Parliament since then.
Eickhout’s resignation triggers a leadership race within the Greens, as Baltic and Eastern European lawmakers try to increase their representation in leadership positions within the political family following gains in the 2024 election.
Via Politico
