Von der Leyen rejects post-electoral alliances with “Putin’s friends” or anti-Right State

The president of the European Comission (EC) and the only candidate of the European People’s Party to repeat that position, Ursula von der Leyenrejected this Wednesday a possible alliance with “Putin’s friends” or parties that do not defend the values ​​of the rule of law after the European elections next June.

“For me it is important to work with pro-Europeans, pro NATO, pro-Ukraine, groups that clearly support our democratic values. It’s more a matter of content. “Those I want and can work with are those who defend democracy against the Eurosceptics and those who defend our values ​​against the friends of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin.”Von der Leyen noted.

In a press conference after being confirmed as the only popular candidate for the presidency of the EC for the next legislature, Von der Leyen insisted that it would be “impossible” for her to cooperate with “friends of Putin” and parties that are against the rule of law, many of which will increase in seats starting in June according to polls.

“Our red line is if you defend democracy, our values, are firm in the rule of law, support Ukraine and fights against Putin’s attempts to weaken and divide Europe. The answer has to be clear.” he warned.

Asked about the possibility of cooperating with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), who in their ranks have both delegations that would meet their conditions and others that would not, Von der Leyen urged us to wait to see the composition of the group after the elections.

“We do not know who will be in ECR after the elections. In each European election the different political groups change”said Von der Leyenwho noted that he will wait to see “who joins ECR, who leaves or who moves to the European PP.”

The president of the European People’s Party (EPP) and its parliamentary group, Manfred Weber, also German, also pointed out that in the ultra-conservative group “they do not have a common understanding on many issues” and warned that several small delegations, such as the Czech or the Swedish, said publicly that they would not want to share a group with the Fidesz of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.

“We are seeing the internal fights they have and our message is that they are not going to comply with the concerns of the citizens,” warned Weber, who asked voters to “trust those who have already shown they can manage crises and give Europe a good future.”

The EPP made Von der Leyen official this Wednesday as its only candidate to preside over the European Comission in June, a nomination that will have to be voted on and confirmed by the EPP congress in Bucharest on March 7.

“We are proud to now have Ursula von der Leyen as the only proposed candidate,” assured Weber, who considers that the German “delivered” during a term in which “the European Union was in good hands.”

In addition to having been expressly supported on Monday by her party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Von der Leyen has received the support of Civic Platform (PO), of the Polish Donald Tusk, and of Nea Demokratia, of the Greek Kiriakos Mitsotakis, as well as of the parliamentary group, said Weber, who also expressed his “full” support for the current president of the EC.

In a time of “total uncertainty”, the EPP’s message is to “guarantee stability in Europe” and “security and prosperity”, stressed Weber, who recalled that the EPP carries in its electoral program the proposal to appoint a Defense Commissioner and “a security agreement for the next five years”, as well as supporting companies and industries so that Europeans have “secure jobs and decent incomes”.