The top candidate of the European People's Party (EPP), Germany's Manfred Weber, officially launched his campaign for the May European elections in Athens on Tuesday 23 April, hoping to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as President of the European Commission if he wins.
Together with the leader of the Christian Democratic New Democracy Party, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Bavarian unveiled 12 key proposals in his programme focused on three main priorities – a secure, intelligent and compassionate Europe – as he had announced at the beginning of April in Brussels (see EUROPE 12229/27).
These proposals include a more ambitious timetable for the future staffing of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (formerly Frontex). According to Mr Weber, the agency will have to have 10,000 staff by 2022, whereas European rules set the deadline at 2027 (see EUROPE 12238/10). The Agency will also have a direct right to intervene at the EU's external borders.
The EPP Spitzenkandidat also wants a European ‘FBI’, by doubling the staff of the European Police Cooperation Agency (Europol). He also wants to stop any discussion on Turkey's accession to the EU.
Regarding ‘smart’ Europe, Mr Weber wants a comprehensive plan against cancer and the development of smart homes for the elderly. He still wants to repeal 1,000 European regulations that he considers outdated and unnecessary. In addition, 5 million new jobs will have to be created for young people.
The EPP candidate still wants the European Investment Bank to support loans for young families to access home ownership, in order to avoid excessive rents. In the environmental field, he still wants to pursue the strategy of a total ban on single-use plastics and to continue efforts to combat global warming.
After a debate in Maastricht on 29 April, the German will debate with his competitor from the Party of European Socialists, the Dutchman Frans Timmermans, but also the Belgian Guy Verhofstadt, candidate for the ALDE party, and the German Ska Keller for the European Greens, on 2 May at the European University in Florence. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)