Slovenian European Parliament member Irena Joveva failed to secure re-election as a vice-president of the Renew group during internal voting held on October 21, 2026. The vote took place at the halfway point of the current five-year parliamentary mandate, where half of the leadership positions were up for renewal. Joveva attributed her defeat to resentment from the more conservative faction within the group, citing her independent stance on issues such as the EU's relationship with Israel. She stated that she respected the democratic decision of her colleagues despite the outcome. Meanwhile, French MEP Valérie Hayer was re-elected as the chairperson of the Renew group, emphasizing the need for a centrist majority and detailed coalition agreements to build Europe. These internal elections mark the beginning of procedures leading up to the election of the new President of the European Parliament.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on internal party dynamics and electoral results within the European Parliament using neutral, factual language. It presents Joveva's perspective on why she lost (conservative backlash against her conscience-based voting) alongside the official results and statements from the ree





