The European People’s Party Congress has re-elected Manfred WEBER as EPP President for a second term with 502 votes out of 563 valid votes. President Weber proposed Dolors MONTSERRAT from Partido Popular as his choice for the next Secretary General of the EPP.
During his speech to EPP delegates, President Weber emphasized that the critical feature of EPP’s success story over the last three years has been the party’s ability in “listening, unifying and delivering”. The EPP’s increasing power in the European Council proves this. Today, 13 out of the 27 Heads of State and Government of the EU come from our political family. According to President Weber, the message from our Congress in Valencia is: “We work hard, we deliver - the EPP is trustworthy”.
The ability to “listen, unify and deliver” is based on EPP’s DNA, but as President Weber mentioned, this will not be enough to beat the populists and the extremists. “We are entering in a new historic phase. To win the fight, we need to provide not only good facts and concepts but also a desire for the future, hope and enthusiasm. As EPP, we have to write a new, general centre-right political programme during the next 2 years. In Rotterdam, I called the EPP the rock of Europe, the solid ground. In Valencia, I would call the EPP the beating heart of Europe. We must win the minds and hearts of Europeans”, President Weber said.
Manfred Weber was also very clear that "the main task of our generation is a common defence and foreign policy. In the 1950s, Christian Democrats like De Gasperi, Adenauer, and Schuman did not speak about tanks, numbers of troops—that was the business of generals. And today - we speak about common procurement! National armies are fundamental, but not enough - we have to add a European shield - we need an architecture that makes Europe irrevocable".
President Weber warmly thanked Partido Popular and its leader Alberto NÚÑEZ FEIJÓO for co-hosting the EPP Congress. “Spain has always been at the heart of Europe—and today, the heart of Europe beats here, in Valencia. Since Alberto is President of the PP, he has won all elections. Last year, PP doubled its seats in the European Parliament” he concluded.