Weber becomes CSU European leadership candidate
The CSU wants to score points in next year's European elections with Manfred Weber as its lead candidate, with a "Bavarian agenda" for Europe and a sharp demarcation course to the AfD. "The only Bavarian who makes a difference in Brussels is Manfred Weber," said CSU leader Markus Söder on Monday after a CSU executive meeting in Munich about the EPP party and parliamentary group leader. "We are betting on Manfred Weber." As expected, Weber was therefore unanimously nominated by the Executive Committee for first place on the European list. Weber will be followed by MEPs Angelika Niebler, Christian Doleschal, Monika Hohlmeier and Markus Ferber. The final decision on the list will be made on November 25.
Weber described the election as an election of destiny for the continent. The question is whether it will be possible to find and secure a viable pro-European majority in the future European Parliament.
"This will be an important election, a very central election," said Söder. For the CSU, this is "the Bundestag election at European level, so to speak". Many people still believe that you can "vote differently" in a European election - the CSU sees things very differently. In addition to a joint election program with the CDU, the CSU will therefore also adopt its own "Bavarian agenda" for Europe.
Söder took a stand against his own Bavarian coalition partner, the Free Voters, who could significantly steal votes from the CSU in both the European and Bundestag elections a year later. "We are the only real party from Bavaria for Bavaria in Europe," said Söder.
With the Free Voters, on the other hand, there is only one person from Bavaria in a relevant position at the very top, otherwise there are "all kinds of people from all over Germany". That was fine. "But we are the party that is there for Bavaria."
Both Söder and Weber announced a tough stance against the AfD in particular. Their anti-European sentiment and policies would cause serious damage to the country, Weber warned.
Weber had already stood as the lead candidate in the 2019 European elections - at that time even for the entire European People's Party (EPP) and for the office of Commission President, which he did not end up winning. Since 2022, he has also held the EPP party presidency in addition to his position as group leader in the European Parliament.
The CSU is hoping to boost its performance in the upcoming European elections by placing Manfred Weber as their lead candidate, with a focus on a "Bavarian agenda" and a clear distinction from the AfD. The CSU's Executive Committee has indeed nominated Weber as their first choice for the European list.
In light of the CSU's strategic decision, Söder emphasized that the European elections are just as significant for them as the Bundestag elections, as they believe in voting uniformly for European elections.
Source: www.dpa.com
