Weber named the conditions of cooperation between his family of conservative and Christian Democratic parties: “Pro Europe, pro Ukraine, pro constitutional state”. The FPÖ also does not see this as a given.
Regarding the Freedom Party, the EPP leader said: “Anyone who treats (Russian President Vladimir, note) Putin in the same way as (Ukrainian President Volodymyr, note) Zelensky is outside our community of values.” . what. This is why FPÖ President Herbert Kickl was greeted with reservations by his EU counterparts when he was Minister of the Interior – they were under the impression that everything said in the Council of Interior Ministers would be transmitted to Moscow.
Why can right-wing populists score points?
Manfred Weber criticized the attitudes of right-wing parties towards the EU
Desire for “more majority decisions”
According to Weber, this time the EPP members will again nominate a common top candidate, who will also become president of the European Commission if they win the elections. Weber was the leading candidate in 2019, but did not become President of the Commission. The issue was once again agreed upon retrospectively by heads of state and government – ignoring pre-election intentions.
After the European elections, Weber would like to see “more majority decisions” at European level. The German CSU politician hopes this will strengthen the EU's foreign policy and defense community. Due to the currently required unanimity, Weber's resolutions in these two areas take too long.
Election of the President of the Commission
The EPP wants to re-nominate a prominent candidate for the post of head of the EU Commission
During the “press hour”, the 51-year-old man defended an improvement in the level of European defense in the context of a threat from Russia. “Russia is arming itself. Putin is challenging us,” Weber said. The hybrid war against Russia is already here, warned Weber, citing Russian election interference on social media and Moscow-directed refugee flows across the border into Finland and thus the EU.
“Everyone knows that nothing will happen to Turkey”
When it comes to expanding the EU – for example to include the Western Balkan states – the EPP president wants to focus on the economic and political potential of everyone involved. At the same time, however, the definitive borders of the EU must be determined. “We have to finish the accession negotiations with Turkey”, demanded Weber in this context. “Everyone knows things won’t work out with Turkey.” Instead, Weber wants to strengthen relations between the EU and Turkey in other ways.
Weber does not believe that the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council, which is criticized by most EU governments and institutions due to its constitutional deficits and by the government of Viktor Orban, who is particularly critical of the EU, can be avoided. The MEP thus expects a “difficult time” for the second half of 2024. The consolation for Weber is that the focus after the EU elections in June will not be on the legislative processes that the Hungarian Presidency has to manage, but on things like new positions and political realignment.
EU expansion
Turkey should under no circumstances become a member of the EU, Weber said
Weber criticized the fact that Hungary is blocking the decision on the EU's financial framework and does not want to reach an agreement until EU funds that have been withheld due to rule of law deficits in Hungary are released to the country. However, there should be no negotiations on this issue; Hungary must comply with and make legislation compatible with the EU. You shouldn't let Orban dance on your nose.
Weber indirectly criticized Austria's veto against the full inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen area. The Bavarian emphasized that both countries are “ready” for this. “The arguments of the Bulgarians and Romanians should have been interpreted more constructively.”
Criticism from the FPÖ, SPÖ and the Greens
The head of the FPÖ delegation in the European Parliament, Harald Vilimsky, sees Weber's statements as the “worst form of controversy”. In a reaction via broadcast, Vilimsky asked whether Weber had received an exclusive platform from ORF or whether a member of the Identity and Democracy (ID) faction, to which FPÖ MEPs belong, would also be invited to the “press hour”. .
In his reaction, the leader of the SPÖ delegation, Andreas Schieder, questioned the EPP's claim, as highlighted by Weber, to be the main pro-European political force in the EU Parliament. The PPE itself moved to the right and torpedoed important reform projects.
The Greens also see the PPE and Weber as truly allies with the far right. “While in the 'press hour' he talks a lot about the 'elections on the fundamentals' and distances himself from European right-wing extremists, the EPP, under its leadership in the European Parliament, has joined precisely these right-wing extremist forces for months,” commented EU Green leader MEP Thomas Waitz.
This year's European elections are the tenth direct elections for the European Parliament. It is scheduled to take place from June 6th to 9th in all European Union member states. 720 deputies will be elected, 15 more than in the outgoing parliament.