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Valencia .- The president of the European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, reaffirmed his position on Tuesday for a three-year term after receiving unanimous support from the congress of his party held in the city of Valencia (eastern Spain) and warned his training partners, ahead of the upcoming European elections, that “populists are gaining strength because too many democrats are weak”.
The Bavarian politician received 502 votes in favor, 89% of the total valid votes cast by the delegates participating in the congress of the European People’s Party, in a vote where he was the only candidate running for the position and where he also received 61 votes against and seven null votes.
Weber also nominated the Spanish Dolors Montserrat to be the party’s secretary general for the next three years, a position that must be confirmed in a procedural vote this Wednesday.
The also popular leader in the Eurochamber, who celebrated his reelection on stage to the rhythm of Journey’s classic “Don’t stop believing,” recorded an identical percentage result to that achieved at the party congress in 2022, held in the Dutch city of Rotterdam where he was elected president of the formation for the first time.
In a speech before his reelection was confirmed, Weber criticized the “social democrats who ignore the working class” or the “greens and liberals who only go to nice neighborhoods with privileged voters”.
“Politically, the task is enormous: an authoritarian wave is sweeping the world and gradually consuming Europe. There is much at stake. What is the rest doing?” he asked, while warning that “populists are strong because too many democrats are weak”.
Weber calls on European populars to define political aspirations
For Weber, the main political competitor of his party “is the extremists, those who fight against Ukraine, the rule of law, and a united Europe,” and for that reason he urged European populars to define their political aspirations and narrative so that populists do not set the agenda “with their hate speeches, dividing and destroying”.
“Too many people in politics limit themselves to saying what they do not want: they are against Trump, the Green Deal, gender ideology, Europe. In return, (we) must be clear about what we want. Let’s be more specific: the main task of our generation (…) is a common defense and foreign policy,” he urged.
Weber took over the presidency of the European People’s Party in 2022 at a critical moment for the party, with electoral setbacks in enclaves like Berlin or Paris, only eight of the twenty-seven heads of state and government of the European Union, and in opposition in the five largest European economies: Spain, Italy, France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Three years later, he renews his mandate with the party at historic highs, with twelve heads of state and government, fourteen European commissioners, the largest group in the Eurochamber, and the presidencies of the European Commission and the European Parliament, as well as the German chancellery starting next week.
Under his leadership, the party has opened up to pact with ultraconservative forces like Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy and, when necessary, to vote alongside far-right parties in the European Parliament, as in their attempt to halt the nature restoration law in the past legislature.
Von der Leyen: “it compensates that Europe is reliable and predictable”
For her part, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, assured on Tuesday that in the face of moments of uncertainty and crisis in global trade routes, “it compensates” that Europe is a “reliable and predictable” partner, because the world of trade is turning towards the community bloc.
“In this moment of crisis, it compensates that Europe is reliable and predictable. We already have the largest network of free trade agreements, with 76 countries around the world. Now the world of trade is turning towards us,” said Von der Leyen in her speech before the congress of the European People’s Party (EPP) in Valencia.
Von der Leyen lamented that decades of global trade as a “catalyst for global prosperity” have been hindered by “the unpredictable tariff policy of the U.S. administration” and warned that it will particularly affect the most vulnerable citizens and all companies regardless of their size.
“More uncertainty, disruption of supply chains, heavy bureaucracy. We cannot and must not allow this to happen. We must insist on our key policies of open markets, trade in which we all win, and free and fair trade investment partnerships,” she told her European popular colleagues.
Agreements with Mercosur, Mexico, and Switzerland
Von der Leyen reviewed the trade agreements that the European Union has concluded since last year, “from Mercosur to Mexico and Switzerland,” and pointed out that work continues with India, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, or Malaysia, among others.
“Everyone wants agreements with us because we are fair, reliable, and play by the rules. Let’s keep this course, with a cool head and united, because that is what we are, that is how Europe trades,” she said.
For Von der Leyen, this must be the moment when Europe defends its strengths and values: “We do not invade our neighbors nor punish them. On the contrary, there are twelve countries that are eager to be members of the European Union,” she defended.
Von der Leyen also reviewed in her speech the recent community proposal for a new returns directive aimed at tightening migration policy and recalled the effort to increase investments in defense and security, although she did not mention at any time the floods that exactly six months ago claimed the lives of more than 200 people in the host city of the popular congress.
Metsola advocates for generating the changes that Europe needs
For her part, the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, advocated for generating the changes that Europe needs because, as she stated, it is not “just about reacting when there is a crisis, but about having vision and the courage to take necessary measures to prevent them from occurring”.
Metsola participated in the opening of the EPP Congress, which is being held in Valencia and where she remembered the victims of the flood on October 29.
“I was in Spain when the terrible floods occurred in October and although I have returned to the country, it is special for me to be here today and to express my solidarity in person,” she stated.
For Metsola, the rebirth of Europe “is within reach” and it only takes “being resolute and brave to generate those changes and show that we are a rising continent and that we are open to business, ideas, and new ways of facing old problems”.
“It is not just about reacting when there is a crisis, but having vision and the courage to take necessary measures to prevent them from occurring,” she defended, and as an example, she cited “Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine” in which “we cannot hesitate and must stand with the friends of Ukraine”.
The president of the EP stated that citizens want economic security and opportunities, systems that work and simplify rather than complicate, and security so that their children can walk the streets without fear, and she defended that this is something achievable and they are “committed to achieving it in this mandate”.
In economic matters, she assured that companies want to have the opportunity to compete and Europe’s response “must be clear and resolute, not ambiguous,” and pointed out that tariffs “are not in anyone’s benefit”.
Metsola highlighted that perhaps the European Union is “more boring than others, but when we talk about politics, that is not negative,” she clarified.
She also considered that “the time has come to advance in real integration at the level of defense, energy, telecommunications, and financial markets” because “in a world of increasing geopolitical rivalry,” although “individually we are small, together we are a force that must be recognized”.
In this sense, she said that the European Union has been able to send “a firm and unified message” in the face of the tariff crisis, “emphasizing that the fewer barriers we have, the more prosperous our citizens will be”.
“Europe will act and intervene to protect its workers and defend its interests,” she said, and considered that “more dialogue and less tension” is necessary.
Merz calls for increasing the effectiveness and capacity of defense
For his part, the German conservative leader, Friedrich Merz, who is expected to be appointed chancellor next week, stated that increasing the EU’s defense capacity and making it more effective is not “optional,” but essential to preserve peace.
“We have to be pragmatic in the acquisition of armaments. We have to agree on the joint development of new projects and accelerate production quickly,” he said in his speech before the EPP congress.
“This should happen within the framework of NATO, but Europeans should also be able to defend themselves better than in the past. It is not optional, it is a prerequisite to preserve freedom and peace,” he emphasized.
Merz, who reiterated his support for the reelection of Manfred Weber as president of the EPP, referred in this sense to the war in Ukraine.
“If other nations, other countries question the values of national sovereignty and inviolability of borders, democracy, and freedom, we will defend them with even greater strength,” he promised.
The conservative leader recalled that if all goes as planned and the German social democrats ratify the coalition agreement reached with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU) of Bavaria, he will be appointed chancellor next Tuesday.
As part of the agreement, the Christian Democrats will take over the Foreign Affairs portfolio for the first time in 60 years, he noted before promising “more German leadership” at the European and international level than during the past legislature, in which a tripartite of social democrats, greens, and liberals governed.
Adopt common positions in the face of U.S. tariff policy
Merz listed challenges such as the risk that Washington’s tariff policy will plunge the world into a new era of protectionism and emphasized that European countries cannot deal with these types of challenges alone, so it is necessary to adopt common positions and speak with one voice.
The virtual chancellor declared himself in favor of free trade and reiterated his support for the European Commission (EC) in negotiating trade agreements with blocs like Mercosur.
In this sense, Merz urged not to “overload” these types of agreements with too many issues that are not directly related to trade, in reference to climate protection clauses among others.
“We must find a balance between the fight against climate change, which is more important than ever, and environmental protection, on the one hand, and preventing deindustrialization in our countries,” he emphasized.
The “enormous challenges” facing the EU cannot be stopped with contracting economies, Merz emphasized, whose country, according to official forecasts, will complete a year of economic stagnation in 2025 after the recessions recorded in 2024 and 2023. (April 29)