For this debate, we are joined by Richard Schenk, research fellow at the Hungarian think tank MCC Brussels, Lena Schilling, Austrian member of the European Parliament from the Greens and Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Dutch member of the European Parliament from the liberal Renew Europe group. Euronews’ Méabh Mc Mahon brings us updates from Valencia.
The European People’s Party, that has more than a dozen heads of state and government in the Council, came in first in last year’s European elections. Gathered in Valencia this week, the party celebrated its newfound strength following most recent election victories, notably in Germany. Delegates at the EPP congress hope the incoming German chancellor will take charge of the European conservatives and the future of the EU. After a snap election in February, his party became the strongest political force again, ahead of the far-right AfD party.
The electoral outcome left Merz with two options: a coalition with the AfD or with the Social Democrats. As he had excluded any form of cooperation with the far right, he teamed up with the party of outgoing chancellor Olaf Scholz. In Berlin, Merz just engineered new massive spending power for Germany that even had the backing of the Greens. Not everyone in his party liked that. Now he wants to be more assertive in Brussels and stand up to Donald Trump. Is that good for Europe?
The panel also discussed the circumstances under which the EPP met in Valencia. The party’s big moment in the sun was somewhat overshadowed by huge public protests. A deliberate reminder of the conservative regional government’s botched handling of October’s catastrophic floods. The accusation: the administration failed to give the population adequate warning of the impending disaster.
Letting Valencia host the EPP congress, was it a wise thing to do in retrospect? Ursula von der Leyen is ready to talk to representatives of the victims in Brussels on 13 May – is this the right thing to do?
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