PR SG | Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle appointed as President of the Spinelli Group

The Dutch Renew  and D66 MEP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle will take over the rotating presidency of the parliamentary intergroup.

Strasbourg, May 21, 2026

Dutch Renew Europe and D66 MEP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle will take over the rotating presidency of the parliamentary intergroup. She was elected by acclamation on Monday 18th May by the Spinelli Group Board in Strasbourg.
The appointment was announced during the Public General Assembly “40 Years After Spinelli”, held at the European Parliament to honour the legacy of Altiero Spinelli and his vision for a federal Europe promoted by the UEF and European Movement France.

As Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle succeeds Gabriele Bischoff, S&D and SPD MEP and First Vice-President of Europa-Union Deutschland, in the rotating presidency of the Spinelli Group, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) expresses its full support for her leadership and its continued commitment to working closely with the Group in advancing the federalist cause.

The Spinelli Group and the Union of European Federalists warmly thank Gabriele Bischoff for her dedicated chairwomanship since July 2025 and her commitment to strengthening the federalist movement within the European Parliament.

“Serving as Chair of the Spinelli Group has been a profound honour. At a time when Europe faces existential geopolitical, democratic and social challenges, our responsibility has been to defend and strengthen the European project with courage and ambition.
As the first woman ever to chair the Spinelli Group, I am particularly proud to have contributed to broadening and strengthening our federalist coalition across political families and national borders. Europe’s future will only be secured through unity, democracy and a stronger capacity to act together.
The European moment is now. Europeans expect us to move beyond fragmentation and vetoes, and to build a Union capable of protecting its citizens, defending its values and shaping its own destiny.” Gabriele Bischoff said.

During Bischoff’s presidency, and in addition to regular Board meetings, the Spinelli Group organised several politically significant events dedicated to the future of European integration and institutional reforms.
These included:

• The high-level conference “For a Stronger, More Democratic and Inclusive European Union – Towards a European Federation” in November 2025 in the Hellenic Parliament in Athens, which brought together policymakers and civil society representatives to discuss democratic reform and the future architecture of the European Union.
• The initiative “Bring a European Federalist” reception at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, aimed at fostering dialogue between Members of the European Parliament and inviting them to join the Spinelli Group.
• The round table held during the UEF European Congress in Barcelona, entitled “Is Draghi’s Pragmatic Federalism enough to face current challenges?”
• The event in May 2026 in the European Parliament in Strasbourg celebrating 40 years after Altiero Spinelli’s passing.Under Bischoff’s leadership, the Spinelli Group also adopted and promoted an updated political manifesto, “The European Moment is Now”, calling, in a concrete and pragmatic proposal, for a more sovereign, democratic and federal European Union capable of acting decisively in an increasingly unstable global environment.

The new President, Raquel García Hermida declared after her appointment: “Forty years ago, Spain joined the European Union. Today, as a Spaniard who became a Dutch citizen and now serves as a Dutch Member of the European Parliament, I see my own story as part of the European story itself.
The European Union gave me the freedom to live, work, and participate politically across borders. That is the European dream: a Europe where everyone can benefit from freedom, opportunity, and shared citizenship.
But our freedoms, prosperity, and security cannot be taken for granted. I deeply believe that only a stronger and more federal Europe can protect future generations and preserve the values that define us.
We do not need the American dream. We have our own European dream. And in that dream is the future of civilization as we know it.”

The federalist movement is deeply grateful to have such dedicated individuals supporting its cause.
Thank you very much Gabriele, Good work Raquel!