Rapporteurships are effectively auctioned through a point system, with each group receiving points according to its size. The Patriots, Parliament’s third-largest faction, simply outbid all other groups, one Parliament official said. The official, like others, was granted anonymity to discuss the closed-door process.

The European Commission proposed the bloc’s 2040 target last week amid fierce pushback from some governments and lawmakers, setting the stage for delicate negotiations in the fall.

Many MEPs from mainstream groupings expressed shock on Tuesday morning. Several lawmakers told POLITICO they were trying to find a way to take the file away from the Patriots.

„The report on the EU 2040 climate target is now in the hands of the far right,” said MEP Lena Schilling, the Greens’ lead negotiator on the file. „That should be a wake-up call for all pro-European forces in this Parliament.”

The Greens are seeking to fast-track the 2040 climate target through Parliament, with a vote on whether to speed up the process set for Wednesday.

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