Better late than never – Weber, unlike the CDU hawks, really believes in a united Europe and from Naples he argues that the end of the Baltic shrunkenness era is here: it’s time to put the Mediterranean back at the centre. Immigration without integration has woken everyone up from hibernation

Immigration and defence. On the first issue elections are won and lost. On the second the future of Europe is at stake. And the EPP wants to impose the agenda in Brussels, but also in Berlin, where the Cdu already sees the chancellery at hand: ‘The EPP is ready to solve the problems,’ explains president and group leader in the European Parliament Manfred Weber, who opens the party's study days tomorrow in Naples.

What message has come to Brussels from the elections in Brandenburg?
'They are regional elections. But from a political point of view they show that the socialists have won in Brandenburg thanks to their distancing from the Scholz government: the chancellor of Germany is no longer able to win elections. And this is a relevant aspect on a European level. Another aspect concerns content: migration was high on the agenda in the regional elections. The Germans want a definitive solution to migration and the EPP is fully committed to solving the problem: we have called for 30,000 Frontex agents at European level and we call for a Mediterranean pact. The EPP is ready to solve the problems'.

What do you expect on the migration front from the new Commission?
‘The Mediterranean is a priority from a European point of view and is the key area of our neighbourhood policy for the next five years. Dubravka Šuica, a Croatian member of the EPP, is an experienced Commissioner, she has the delegation for the Mediterranean and for relations with the southern neighbourhood. We will talk about immigration during the EPP study days starting tomorrow in Naples. We will reflect on concrete initiatives, we need to find a good understanding with our North African neighbours on economic issues, energy and the management of the migration challenge. The understanding with Tunisia is a model. We were much criticised for that agreement but in the first half of 2024 the number of arrivals in Italy was reduced by 64%. I expect S&D and Greens to be in favour of these understandings'.

Is there a risk that Germany will go to early elections?
'We need a new government as soon as possible because the current one is no longer able to define a common and shared political approach to solve the most important issues. We are united and ready with Friedrich Merz'.

What impact will the weak governments in Paris and Berlin have on European decision-making?
‘Only European solutions can bring results, as during Covid. Now it is necessary to prepare the ground, for example on defence, for when stability returns to Germany with a Cdu government that will relaunch Franco-German cooperation. France and Germany are important, but in recent years the Italian government with Antonio Tajani has shown that Rome is helping to stabilise Europe at a time when Paris and Berlin are not capable'.

Von der Leyen presented the team. There are 14 commissioners from the EPP. Now there are the parliamentary hearings. Will there be a war between groups?
‘I see a strong team with highly qualified personalities. As a Parliament we will ensure a fair and transparent process, but also a demanding procedure for each candidate. Hearing commissioners is a privilege of the EU Parliament, which national parliaments do not have with ministers.’

Commissioner Fitto has been much criticised by S&D, Renew and the Greens. Does he risk rejection?
‘The criticism is not about Fitto as a person, because everyone who knows him knows that he can do this job well and is clearly a pro-European politician. It is about the role of Italy. Together with Tajani, as the EPP, we have fought for a strong role for Italy in the next Commission. Now is not the time for party games. It is also Elly Schlein's turn to show leadership and bring the S&D to Italy's side'.

Is the cordon sanitaire against AfD and Rassemblement national still viable given the election results? In the resolution on Venezuela Ppe and Ecr voted with the sovereignists.
‘There is no cooperation with the extreme right, because for us as Christian Democrats and as the EPP, the basic criteria for cooperation are being in favour of Europe, Ukraine and the rule of law. The EPP in the next five years will simply vote for what it believes in. On Venezuela, we criticise the autocrat Maduro and emphasise that the leader of the democratic opposition was the winner of the elections. We followed our convictions'.

What will you do in Naples?
‘There will be many future commissioners. We will discuss the programme for the next five years from a Mediterranean perspective: migration, economy, cooperation, security and peace. And we will address the greatest future project of Europe, historically linked to an Italian: it was De Gasperi who proposed the European defence pillar. With the new Commissioner Kubilius we will discuss the single defence market and joint procurement, but also missile defence, innovation and research, and the hypothesis of a European nuclear shield'.