an EU President..
“We have to stop commenting on every tweet from Washington and finally lead in a European way” Weber told “Der Spiegel”. He suggests that after the next European elections the roles of Commission President and Council President be merged. He names Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa as examples, but says, “an even stronger European face-an EU President-would be a powerful post”.
Weber also calls for a new round of enlargement. “The Western Balkan states, Moldova, and Ukraine belong to a united Europe” he said, adding that Greenland and Iceland have shown interest.
In addition, the EPP leader wants a new European treaty along the lines of the Euro and Schengen, but for foreign and security policy. “European treaties bind us to unanimity in foreign affairs, which hinders the EU” he said. “Therefore I support a new treaty, a sovereignty agreement, that allows willing states to collaborate more forcefully on foreign and security policy”. He says the policy architects must take the lead.
“We would turn the tables. Then Viktor Orbán in Hungary or Robert Fico in Slovakia could no longer hold the EU hostage. They would have to explain why they suddenly stand alone”. He points to the Euro and Schengen as examples of what can happen when not all EU states participate, and says a similar approach is needed for foreign and security policy.
Weber hopes that French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) will join the effort. He has invited them to an EPP meeting in Zagreb over the weekend, where Merz or Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will likely attend. He says, “I want a candid debate there. If we agree that Europe needs to become more independent, we must take the next step”.