The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Germany, led by Friedrich Merz, is set to endorse Manfred Weber for a second term as president of the European People’s Party (EPP). This decision significantly enhances Weber’s probability of reelection during the upcoming party congress in Valencia, Spain, scheduled for April.
Insider sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the CDU plans to announce this support on Sunday. By backing Weber, a notable member of its Bavarian counterpart, the Christian Social Union (CSU), the CDU aims to solidify leadership continuity within the EPP, which Weber has headed since 2022.
Key endorsements and challenges ahead
The forthcoming EPP leadership election at the congress in Valencia is pivotal, and the CDU, being the largest party within the EPP, endorsing Weber sends a strong signal to other members. The CSU has already put forth Weber’s nomination, yet he must also secure backing from other significant delegations, notably from Spain, Poland, and Greece. Tensions with the Spanish delegation have surfaced, particularly after Weber’s decision to support Teresa Ribera, a Socialist Commissioner, during the European Commissioner hearings last year, which left the Spaniards feeling sidelined.
The preparations for the CDU meeting have been discreet, with the agenda hinting at a focus on the EPP congress without explicitly detailing plans for endorsement. This follows a successful gathering in Berlin orchestrated by Weber in mid-January, rallying EPP leaders to support Merz’s candidacy for the German chancellery. In a retrospective view, the CDU regarded this meeting as a notable success.
Merz’s ambitions and Weber’s leadership
Friedrich Merz, who is a frontrunner for the chancellorship in the snap election on February 23, has publicly commended the collaboration with Weber. Together, they have initiated strategies aimed at reducing bureaucracy across Europe. From the CDU’s perspective, there seems to be no viable alternative to Weber for the EPP presidency, despite some internal criticisms regarding his dual role as both party chairman and head of the EPP parliamentary group, particularly concerning the substantial salary associated with the chairman position.
“Weber has a firm grip on the parliamentary group,” noted a CDU Member of the European Parliament (MEP).
Recently, the party’s secretary-general openly challenged Weber, accusing him of concentrating power within the party structure. In response, Weber has strategically positioned key allies within the EPP parliamentary group into leadership roles at party headquarters. Currently, there appears to be no prominent figure among the former heads of state and government within the party family who is poised to contest Weber’s leadership, as the chairmanship is not deemed suitable for sitting heads of government.
As Merz positions himself for a more assertive role in Brussels, he will inevitably confront European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) in his political endeavors. He acknowledges the necessity of support from Weber, who would continue to lead the largest political party group in both the European Parliament and the Council, key institutions in the EU’s legislative process.
Merz articulated his commitment to reforming the bureaucratic processes within Europe, stating, “I will not accept that this machine continues to run as it does now. This whole machine has got into a rhythm, it feeds on itself.” He emphasizes the urgency for Europe’s industry to regain competitiveness, adding that Germany must assert itself more decisively in Brussels. “The ‘German vote’ should be a thing of the past,” he asserted, reinforcing that Germany, as the most populous and economically robust nation in the EU, should not abstain in critical discussions in Brussels.