The sole candidate for the post of Secretary General of the European People’s Party (EPP), Spain’s Dolors Montserrat said, on Thursday 24 April, that she was convinced she would be able to form “a strong tandem” with Germany’s Manfred Weber, the outgoing EPP President who is also running for a new mandate. Both are expected to be elected at the European People’s Party Congress to be held in Valencia on 29 and 30 April.
The MEP, who chairs the Partido Popular delegation within the EPP Group in the European Parliament, is campaigning internally to secure broad support and become the first woman to hold this position, replacing the Greek Thanasis Bakolas. Describing herself to a number of journalists as a “team player”, she described the nature of her future role as “political” rather than bureaucratic.
With thirteen members on the European Council, the EPP wants to continue to be the leading political force in Europe and to look beyond the continent to form alliances with related political parties, particularly in Latin America.
Ms Montserrat cited a number of fundamental themes that will guide the conduct of the Christian Democrats: – defending the Rule of law, not just in Hungary; – unwavering support for Ukraine; – increased military spending “to invest in peace”; – supporting economic competitiveness by simplifying European rules and turning the trade tensions initiated by the US administration into opportunities to seek new markets elsewhere in the world; – protecting the European Union’s borders against illegal immigration.
These policy lines are the same as those defended by Mr Weber. In his view, the announced rearmament of Europe nevertheless raises geostrategic questions that are not sufficiently answered by the current political debate. The Bavarian also believes that the “ReArm Europe” initiative is a good starting point, but that it alone will not meet the enormous budgetary needs. Mr Weber is therefore not opposed to the creation of instruments outside the European treaties, if necessary. The negotiations on the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework will be a moment of truth.
When asked about the ambiguity of the EPP group in the European Parliament when it comes to forming majorities on issues, Ms Montserrat said that her political family was acting to give substance to its programme adopted at the Bucharest Congress in March 2024 (see EUROPE 13366/1), “without ever looking to the left or the right”. If other groups want to join us, we can talk, but “we won’t cross our red lines”, she added.
Ms Montserrat has repeatedly criticised the Social Democrat group for its indecision at the start of this legislative term, particularly on the issue of regulatory simplification. She had harsh words for Spanish socialists such as the European Commissioner for a Clean Transition, Teresa Ribera, former Minister for the Ecological Transition in Spain in Pedro Sánchez’s government, whom she accused of never having visited Valencia after the tragic floods last autumn that killed 228 people. Ms Ribera, she added, should have resigned from her ministerial post before campaigning at European level, as the Socialists had asked former European Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete to do at the time.
In November, the Spanish delegation from the EPP Group tried unsuccessfully to derail Ms Ribera’s candidacy at the European Parliament’s public hearings (see EUROPE 13522/1).
In Valencia, several flood victims’ associations are eagerly awaiting the leaders of the EPP. Some have even written to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking for justice, accusing the President of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón, from the ranks of the Partido Popular, of denying any responsibility for the shortcomings in the prevention of the natural disaster and the emergency response.
The disaster victims are calling on the former EPP ‘Spitzenkandidat’ during the European elections of June 2024 to facilitate the delivery of European financial aid to rebuild homes and get businesses up and running again. Ms von der Leyen has also been asked to take a firm stance against “climate denial” by regional governments, which is putting lives at risk, and to monitor compliance by national and local bodies with European rules on the prevention and management of climate risks.
To see the letter from the disaster victims’ associations: https://aeur.eu/f/giu
At the EPP Congress, delegates will elect as well their treasurer, France’s François-Xavier Bellamy. Ten vice-presidents will also be elected from the following twelve candidates: Finland’s Petteri Orpo, Portugal’s Paulo Rangel, Croatia’s Dubravka Šuica, Italy’s Antonio Tajani, Belgium’s Wouter Beke, Austria’s Magnus Brunner, Bulgaria’s Mariya Gabriel, Poland’s Andrzej Halicki, Greece’s Kostis Hatzidakis, Germany’s David McAllister, Ireland's Mairead McGuinness and Romania’s Siegfried Mureșan. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)