Calls on the ‘popular’ to combat the «wave of authoritarianism» and not to «surrender to Putin no matter what Washington does»
German Manfred Weber has been reelected on Tuesday as the new president of the European People’s Party (EPP) after receiving 502 votes in favor, over 90 percent of the votes, compared to 61 against, at the XXVIII Congress that the European ‘popular’ are celebrating in the city of València. In total, 570 votes were cast, but seven of them were null, so the valid ones were 563.
Weber has been proclaimed at the Congress that the EPP is holding this Tuesday and Wednesday in València, attended by the presidents of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, along with the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and other European ‘popular’ representatives. At the party’s last conclave, held in 2022 in Rotterdam, Weber received 447 votes in favor, 89% support.
In his speech, Weber explained that the EPP has «many challenges ahead, some enormous like the wave of authoritarianism that is on our borders and threatens Europe.» «European populists are gaining strength,» he warned, and stated that «the social democrats have thrown in the towel when it comes to defending the working class.»
He called on the EPP to be a party that is «reliable» and gives «confidence» to Europeans, standing firm as the defender of European values. «If we want to continue winning, we have to respond with actions and make decisions,» he emphasized, with the goal of not «dividing or destroying» Europe.
According to him, other parties «just say what they don’t want» and «are against Trump and the European Green Deal,» while he believes that the EPP should be clear.
STRENGTHENING ARMIES
Among his proposals, in terms of defense, he wants to «create a new rationale» to «strengthen national armies» with a «joint European architecture» that provides stability. He also wants to «use the market economy against authoritarians,» act on climate change without leaving companies unprotected, and continue «reducing illegal immigration because it is the main message in the fight against populism in Europe.»
On an organizational level, the EPP leader expressed pride in the recent electoral results of the ‘popular,’ both at the European level and in state elections where they have won. He congratulated Von der Leyen and Metsola on their achievements and, in a Spanish context, predicted that Feijóo «will soon be the Prime Minister of Spain.»
Reflecting on his work over the past three years since being elected in Rotterdam, he believes that he has carried out his duties «without being populist» but by «showing leadership» and «delivering real responses for the future» based on the three pillars of the EPP: «security, prosperity, and democracy.»
He asked, «What would have happened in the war in Ukraine without the European People’s Party?» «We have managed to defend European interests without surrendering to Putin and we are supporting our colleagues in Ukraine,» he asserted, ensuring that they will continue to do so «no matter what Washington does.»
«We have won, and after winning, we must fulfill our promises. The European People’s Party can be trusted: that is the message from Valencia,» he emphasized.
MONTSERRAT WILL BE ELECTED SECRETARY GENERAL ON WEDNESDAY
On the second day of the EPP congress, to be held this Wednesday, it will be time to elect the vice-presidents and treasurer, as well as the new secretary general of the EPP, a position that will be held by the leader of the PP in the European Parliament, Dolors Montserrat, making her the first woman to hold this position.
Her appointment was announced a few weeks ago by Weber himself. «She ran a brilliant campaign at the local, regional, national, and European levels, and she will be my proposed candidate for secretary general of the EPP,» he said.
Montserrat will thus assume the role of secretary general for a three-year term starting from her formal appointment in València, where she will take over from the Greek Thanasis Bakolas, who has been in the position since the departure of the Spanish Antonio López-Istúriz in 2022 after two decades in the role.
Following this election, the MEP and Institutional Vice-Secretary of the PP, Esteban González Pons, will become the new head of the Spanish delegation in Brussels. In this way, the Vice-President of the European Parliament will replace Montserrat as the spokesperson for the PP in the European Parliament, a significant role that requires full-time dedication and could lead to his departure from the Institutional Vice-Secretary of the PP.
