Massive resistance in faction
CSU Vice Weber on a cozy course with Italy’s right?
2/4/2023 10:14 am
The party of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is ultra-right and sits in the European Parliament. While many Union politicians keep their distance, CSU Vice and EPP boss Weber sees things in common. In any case, a rejection of an alliance with the post-fascists sounds different.
Because of his contacts with Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the chairman of the European People’s Party, Manfred Weber, is coming under increasing pressure. Members of his own group in the EU Parliament and other leading European politicians are appalled that the CSU deputy has not recently rejected an alliance with the ultra-right Fratelli d’Italia (Italy’s brothers).
“The firewall to the right must always be up – from Palermo to Wattenscheid, from Brussels to Rome,” says CDU MEP Dennis Radtke. The group says that there is massive resistance to Weber’s course.
Manfred Weber, CSU politician from Lower Bavaria, is both President of the EPP Christian Democratic party family and head of the EPP parliamentary group in the EU Parliament. While the 50-year-old is not suspected of being right-wing, he recently positioned his EPP with a striking statement on Meloni’s party. As party and faction leader, he naturally has the ambition that the EPP will remain the strongest force after the 2024 European elections, he told the newspapers of the Funke media group. He shares concern about the history of Meloni’s post-fascist party.
But basically there are three fundamental principles in the EPP: pro-rule of law, pro-Europe, pro-Ukraine – “Meloni is constructive on Europe, stands by Ukraine, and there are no problems with the rule of law in Italy.” A rejection of an alliance with the Italian post-fascists sounds different. It is hardly surprising that Weber is looking for new partners for his family of parties, whose power in Europe is declining.
But can this result in the successor party to the MSI movement founded by fascists and those loyal to Mussolini becoming a member of the EPP? A party that still has a flame in its coat of arms that commemorates the dictator? Weber and Meloni have met twice in the past few months. Meloni herself is also chairwoman of the EKR party family.
Barley speaks of “absolute no-go”
In fact, Meloni, who was received with military honors by Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Friday, has been less radical than many feared since her election in September. Barely in office, she also stopped railing against the EU. But is that enough? Not really, think Dennis Radtke and other EPP politicians. “We must not reduce our understanding of politics to pure power tactics,” says the CDU man from the Ruhr area. Christophe Hansen, MP from Luxembourg, also sees a red line in an alliance with the Fratelli. Meloni’s party does not belong in the EPP, he tells the dpa. At the same time, he emphasizes that one has to work together with the Italian government, since it is elected and has so far spoken pro-European.
Other MPs are clearer, but behind closed doors. There is talk of Weber’s odyssey and massive resistance in the parliamentary group. But even away from the EPP, Weber’s flirt with Meloni caused a lack of understanding. The Vice President of the EU Parliament Katarina Barley (SPD) speaks of an “absolute no-go”. “What has been missing from Meloni so far is the clear demarcation from fascism and nationalism.” Nicola Beer of the FDP, also Vice President, accuses Weber of “apparently having given up his political compass” in order to fish on the far right.
For Daniel Freund (Greens), Weber strengthens “a right-wing party with extreme positions” with his course. This strategy is extremely dangerous for the EU. And Weber himself? He attaches great importance to the three basic principles of the EPP. He, who always sees himself as a bridge builder, has emphasized Meloni’s constructive behavior so far. At the same time, he categorically rules out an alliance with the AfD or the Polish PiS party. Rather, he sees himself as someone who seeks dialogue and tries to integrate others into the European project. This is precisely why he is considered exotic by many in the CSU.
Söder ensures clarity
As a CSU deputy, Weber is part of the party leadership, but he is not particularly close to party leader Söder, the relationship between the two is considered tense. This also became clear when Söder felt the need to make a fundamental clarification on Friday. He had exchanged views with Weber on the subject for a “long time”, said Söder. Both agree that membership of Meloni’s party in the EPP is “out of the question”. “It’s not compatible, it can’t be, or even a formal coalition can definitely not be wanted,” he said. “The fact that states have to talk to each other or that one is in conversation is something else. But formal ties do not make sense from my point of view and from our common point of view.”
The reason for Söder’s announcement should also be the state elections on October 8th in Bavaria. With a view to this, he has proclaimed the rule within the party to refrain from anything that could harm the CSU. This includes public disputes as well as political statements that do not correspond to the party line. Weber, in turn, did not fundamentally reject an alliance with the Fratelli d’Italia, even in a reaction to the Söder statements.