Weber is king
For a party that praises its size in the second largest democracy in the world, its leadership seems quite monarchical. Manfred Weber was “re -elected” by 502 of the 563 votes (89) while his faithful ally Dolors Montserrat was elected without opposition to the post of secretary general with 91% of the votes expressed. The type of ringtone approval was generally assisted in the “elections” in North Korea. This gives him control of an ascending EPP, which includes the chairman of the Ursula von der Leyen commission, 13 commissioners, the lion's share of the EU heads of government and 188 deputies in the European Parliament.
EPP Tape on the right
The center of gravity of the party goes to the right, if the mood in Valence is something to pass. Our correspondent Meabh McMahon resumed the enthusiasm of the delegates of the Congress wishing to see the first first Italian Giorgia Meloni shooting him the Fratelli of Italia at the EPP. Meanwhile, a speech by Simon Harris, the Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, or Tánaist, hitting a more moderate note, fell a little flat. Harris has urged her colleagues member of the party to contact the aisle and strengthen cooperation with other pro-European parties. Harris noted that “the need for solid central pro-European leadership was never bigger”, but he sat down to the mute applause.
Competitiveness is the new green
The speakers went on stage to denounce the green agreement and demand a radical thrust for deregulation. Italy Antonio Tajani called this “a disaster” while Friedrich Merz in Germany described certain environmental rules as “nonsense”. “Our absolutely number one priority must be to restore and improve the competitiveness of our savings,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek Prime Minister, adding: “Europe must stop being a factory of new rules and starting to be a growth plant,” he added. “We have to choose our regulatory battles judiciously.”
Germany's back
There were palpable help among the EPP delegates in Valencia that the German government is now led by one of its figures and that the congress was somehow a European exit part for Friedrich Merz. His speech at the Congress was dotted with the need for Germany to engage with more strength in Europe and on the world scene. Merz stressed that his Christian democratic party will hold the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the new German government. “We, Europeans, must be able to defend ourselves better than in the past. It is not optional, it is a prerequisite for preserving peace and freedom on our continent,” he said, to applause.
Are all Germans on board?
The president of the Ursula von der Leyen commission was in unusual political mode left during the congress, but there were signs that she was not part of the dominant current of her party, which certainly does not share her enthusiasm for the green agreement. “I can confirm that President Von Der Leyen is fully supported by the green agreement,” said spokesperson Paula Pinho in response to a question from Euronews, after Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani castigated him like a disaster. Elsewhere, the openings of Von der Leyen towards the victims of the valence flood last October which criticize the efforts of the local government (EPP), apparently encountered a certain indignation. The president of the commission agreed from a meeting in May in Brussels, but the local politicians of the PPE are not satisfied with behind the scenes, according to sources that Euronews heard in Valencia.
