Söder and Weber: European elections are a fateful election for the continent
CSU leader Markus Söder and the designated CSU top candidate Manfred Weber have described next year's European elections as a historically decisive election for the continent.
"On the one hand, the European elections are a fateful election for the entire continent, but also a test election for Germany," said Söder on Saturday before a CSU delegates' meeting in Nuremberg. There, the Christian Socialists want to decide on their candidate lists for the election.
The challenge is "that we must protect Europe from a Europe of populists. That will be the big task in this election," said Söder. "That means not simply saying what populists are trying to say and telling others to do the same," he explained and emphasized: "We have seen in Holland how dangerous it can be if you tear down the firewall. I am firmly convinced that anyone who tears down a firewall will end up burning themselves."
That is why we must clearly distance ourselves from populists, from the AfD, and make a commitment "to a Europe of protection: protection of borders, protection of social standards, protection of the population in Europe, especially against the turmoil and uncertainties of the world". A Europe is needed "for the little people too, not just for the European elites". The CSU wants to emphasize this in particular.
Weber, who is Chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) and EPP Group Leader in the European Parliament, also spoke of a "fateful election". The question of whether Europe can be held together in the face of the rise of nationalism must be on everyone's mind. And the CSU would defend what the founding fathers had built: If the AfD says that this Europe must die, then he says: this Europe will be defended, strengthened and led into the future "because it stands for peace and prosperity".
Source: www.dpa.com
