EUROPEAN PEOPLE’S PARTY CONGRESS IN BUCHAREST

On March 6 and 7, the Romanian capital hosted the Congress of the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament. More than 40 heads of state and government, opposition leaders, commissioners and national politicians of the party came together to join forces and coordinate messages for the election campaign, defining a common line between the 42 parties that make up the party with a view to the next legislature.

In this context, the President of the European Commission, the German conservative Ursula Von der Leyen, received on Thursday the approval of the EPP to run for a second term at the head of the Community Executive. “There are 90 days left until the European Parliament elections,” Von der Leyen recalled from the rostrum of the gigantic Romexpo exhibition center, thanking the participants for their “confidence” and their broad “support” (400 votes in favor, 89 against).

In her speech, Von der Leyen outlined the priorities of her potential new five-year term. He promised peace, prosperity and security for Europeans. He stressed the commitment to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion in order to preserve the freedom and prosperity of the community space, rejecting any attempt to alter the borders by force. In addition, he promised to strengthen Europe’s economic competitiveness, to take strong measures against irregular immigration and to safeguard the rule of law.

Along these lines, Alberto Núñez Feijóo took the floor together with other European popular leaders in opposition in their countries. He stressed his commitment to return Spain to an approach based on the Rule of Law, pointing out the growing confidence of Spaniards in the Popular Party and in the European institutions to stop legislative nonsense such as the controversial amnesty law. He also warned of the serious implications of leaving crimes against the fundamental values of the European Union unpunished and reaffirmed the determination of the Spanish PP in its defense of the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Europe.

During the EPP Congress, a broad electoral manifesto was also unanimously approved. Among its highlights was the demand for the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area of free movement, thus showing the unity and determination of the party.