Weber is king
For a party that touts its size within the world’s second largest democracy, it’s leadership appears quite monarchic. Manfred Weber was ‘re-elected’ by 502 of 563 votes (89) while his loyal ally Dolors Montserrat was elected unopposed to the position of secretary general with 91% of votes cast. The type of ringing endorsement usually witnessed in ‘elections’ in North Korea. This gives him control over an ascendant EPP, which includes Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, 13 commissioners, the lion’s share of EU heads of government and 188 MEPs in the European Parliament.
EPP taps right
The centre of gravity of the party is moving towards to the right, if the mood in Valencia is anything to go by. Our correspondent Meabh McMahon picked up on much enthusiasm from congress delegates keen to see Italian premier Giorgia Meloni pull her Fratelli d’Italia party over to the EPP. Meanwhile a speech by Simon Harris, the deputy prime minister of Ireland, or Tánaiste, striking a more moderate note, fell a bit flat. Harris urged fellow party members to reach out across the aisle and strengthen cooperation with other pro-European parties. Harris noted that “the need for a strong centrist pro-European leadership has never been greater”, but he sat down to muted applause.
Competitiveness is the new Green
Speakers took to the stage to denounce the Green Deal and demand a sweeping push to deregulation. Italy’s Antonio Tajani called it “a disaster” while Germany’s Friedrich Merz described some environmental rules as “nonsense”. “Our absolutely number one priority needs to be to restore and enhance the competitiveness of our economies,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Greek prime minister, said, adding: “Europe must stop being a factory of new rules and start being a factory of growth,” he added. “We have to pick our regulatory battles wisely.”
Germany’s back
There was palpable relief among EPP delegates in Valencia that the German government is now led by one of its number and the congress was something of a European coming out party for Friedrich Merz. His speech to the congress was peppered with the need for Germany to engage more forcefully in Europe and on the world stage. Merz stressed that his Christian-Democrat party will hold the foreign office in the new German government. “We Europeans must be able to defend ourselves better than in the past. This is not optional, this is a precondition to preserve peace and freedom in our continent,” he said, to loud applause.
Are all Germans on board?
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was in uncharacteristically party political mode during the congress, but there were some signs that she’s not part of the mainstream of her party, which certainly doesn’t share her enthusiasm for the Green Deal. “I can confirm that President von der Leyen fully stands by the Green Deal,” spokesperson Paula Pinho said in response to a question from Euronews, after Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani was castigating it as a disaster. Elsewhere overtures by von der Leyen towards victims of the Valencian flood last October who are critical of the local (EPP) government’s then efforts, were apparently met with some indignation. The Commission President agreed to a meeting in May in Brussels, but local EPP politicians not happy behind the scenes, according to sources Euronews heard from in Valencia.