Weber is the king
For a party that promotes its size in the world’s second largest democracy, its leadership looks very monarchy. Manfred Weber was “reelection” with 502 (89) of the 563 votes, and his loyal ally Montserrat was not opposed to the position of Secretary General, with 91% of the votes cast. Usually the type of approval that rings is seen in a North Korean “election.” This will allow him to manage the EPP of the Ascendant. This includes 13 commissioners, Chairman Ursula von der Reyen, the majority of the EU government heads, and the 188 MEPs of the European Parliament.
Tap EPP to the right
If Valencia’s mood passes by, the party’s center of gravity is heading to the right. Our correspondent, Meabh McMahon, picked up a lot of enthusiasm from parliament representatives who were eager to see Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attract her Frateli d’Italia party to the EPP. Meanwhile, speeches by Ireland’s deputy prime minister, Simon Harris, or Tanaiste, who threw a more moderate note, have been flattened a bit. Harris urged fellow party members to reach across the aisle and to strengthen cooperation with other pro-European parties. Harris said “the need for a powerful centrist pro-European leader has never been greater,” but he tempered his applause.
Competitiveness is the new green
The speakers took the stage, denounced the Green Deal and called for a drastic push to deregulation. Italian Antonio Tajani called it a “disaster,” while German Friedrich Merz described environmental rules as “nonsense.” Greek Prime Minister Kiliakos Mitotakis added: “Restore and strengthen our economy’s competitiveness must be our absolute number one priority.” “We must choose the regulatory battle wisely.”
German back
Among Valencia’s EPP representatives, the German government is now led by one of that number, and there was an obvious relief that Parliament is like the European outpouring party. His speech to Parliament was plagued by the need for Germany to engage more forcefully on the European and global stages. Merz emphasized that his Christian Democrats will retain the Foreign Office in the new German government. “We Europeans must be able to protect ourselves better than we did in the past. This is not an option. This is a prerequisite for maintaining peace and freedom on our continent,” he said loudly.
Are all Germans on board?
Committee chair Ursula von der Leyen was characteristically in political party mode during Parliament, but there are some indications that she is not part of her party’s mainstream, which certainly does not share enthusiasm for the Green Deal. “We can see that President Von der Leyen is fully on the face of the Green Deal,” spokesman Paula Pinho said in response to a question from the Euroneus after Italian deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani denounced it as a disaster. Elsewhere by von der Leyen on victims of the Valencia flood in October last year, the overture to victims of the Valencia flood, who are critical of the local government’s then efforts, apparently met several dig stations. According to a source from Euroneus who heard in Valencia, the committee president agreed to a meeting held in Brussels in May, but local EPP politicians are not satisfied behind the scenes.
