Manfred Weber, the European People’s Party (EVP) vice‑chair and a CSU politician, sharply rejected claims that his party was cooperating with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the European Parliament.
“The firewall is essential and it stands” he told the newspapers of Mediengruppe Bayern. “The AfD opposes everything I fight for politically”. He added that the EVP needs no admonishments, especially after the Greens voted against the entry into force of Mercosur – a decision that the AfD had helped bring about.
“We have never let the AfD influence our policy positions or the formation of majorities across Europe, and it will never do so in the future” Weber said. He emphasised that nobody in Brussels wants to deal with the AfD. In reference to recent comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and CSU leader Markus Söder, he added: “I completely agree with Friedrich Merz and, by the way, also with Markus Söder”.
Weber called for a hard stance against the AfD. “Today we must make it clear with all clarity and severity that behind the AfD’s present façade lie neo‑Nazis led by Björn Höcke, who set the tone” he said. “These people hate our liberal‑democratic core principles and promote dull nationalism that has already inflicted so much suffering across Europe”.
Addressing his own party, Weber warned that mere distancing will not suffice. “Segregation alone is not enough against the AfD. Yes, we need courage for a vision again” he said. He recalled that the CSU’s greatest strength has been “bold, historic leadership” and therefore urged for a European army and a shared foreign policy that does not allow veto rights.