"Emmanuel Macron is at the crossroads, not me, not we. Because we know where we come from and we know as a family where to go to", German MEP Udo Bullmann, who leads the European Parliament's S&D Group, stated about his group's potential competitors and allies in the run up to the European elections.
Bullmann sent a letter to the social democrat leaders on 27 September, calling on them to promote the values and principles of their political movements (see EUROPE 12107).
In a press conference on 2 October he said that it was essential to examine why citizens were increasingly turning to the far right. He blamed fine self-centred rhetoric that does not have much interest for socio-economic developments. "We cannot criticise the electors. We, S&D, are disappointed : the EU has not delivered enough to ordinary people", he said.
And with regard to France's President Emmanuel Macron, he said: "Emmanuel Macron, is totally free to decide whether he is a partner, which we would welcome, in social reforms to the better or whether he is somebody administrating the status quo with happy headlines for better Europe only for institutions and not for the people". (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)