A day of frenetic drafting and counter-drafting of compromises in the European Parliament here started with the news spreading like wildfire that the President of the Commission, Mr Jacques Santer, had on Tuesday night warned fellow European People's Party (EPP) members at a private dinner that he was prepared to resign if any member of the Commission was censured.
For some, his move was seen as a brave political act designed to shake the complacency of his party; for others, a sign of growing panic in a Commission that has appeared to have little stomach for a fight and even less strategy for engaging it. What had become clear was the reality that there was no two-thirds majority for a full censure of the Commission by the Parliament. However, there might still be a simple majority for naming two commissioners, Ms Edith Cresson and Mr Manuel Marin, in an effort to force them to resign.
The two big parties were splitting all over the place. Despite the resolute defence by the Socialist Group's British leader, Ms Pauline Green, of the Commission, the 214-strong group's largest national contingent, the Germans, was opposing such a strategy. All 40 wanted some form of real sanction of the Commission.
Within the second-largest group, the 201-strong EPP, the 37 Spanish and French members made clear they wanted to break ranks - no way were they going to face an election tarnished as those who had brought down compatriot commissioners. The Germans and the British were strong supporters of censure but late last night one of the key Tories, Mr James Elles, jumped ship to back the removal of names from their resolution. Then there were those like Fine Gael who see the Commission as "friends of Ireland", deserving of a slap on the wrist but not the sack. That was largely also the thinking of Fianna Fail members and their Union for Europe group.
In all, a third of the EPP were in revolt. Last night their leader, Mr Wilfred Martens, was desperately trying to heal the rift by watering down the reference to the individually targeted commissioners. Other groups were more cohesive. The 42-strong Liberals, led by Mr Pat Cox, were solidly behind the naming of two commissioners. Behind the scenes, Mr Cox was working quietly for a compromise under which the Commission would pledge itself to support treaty changes to allow MEPs to sack individual commissioners in exchange for a vote of confidence now.
If the formula being worked on last night sticks, it is likely the EPP compromise resolution, jointly proposed with the Liberals and Greens, and which will be voted on first, will be passed, with the result that all other resolutions fall.
The motion expresses real concern about irregularities in the way the Commission has handled budget and administrative scandals and specifically cites areas of responsibility of Mrs Cresson and Mr Marin. It calls for the establishment of a high-level committee of inquiry into these issues, which will report by March.
Should the committee find that a member of the Commission has been "guilty of serious misconduct", the motion asks the president of the Commission to use his treaty powers to sack them.
Commission set to start proceedings against IFSC breaks: page 20
